Hiring in India is undergoing massive changes. While companies across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune are scaling fast, the darker side of recruitment is emerging too: payslip fraud in India.
Fraudulent salary slips are increasingly being used by candidates to inflate their salaries, hide employment gaps, or misrepresent past roles. For HR professionals, this poses a serious risk to trust in hiring.
In this comprehensive Pietos guide, we cover:
- What payslip fraud is and why it’s growing in India
- The most common types of salary slip fraud
- City-specific hiring trends where fraud is rising
- Red flags HR should watch for
- Industry risks (IT, BFSI, startups, microfinance)
- Legal implications for employers
- How Pietos helps HR detect fake payslips
- Best practices for background verification in 2025
👉 Already exploring India’s job market? Don’t miss our related article: Resume Fraud India: Complete Employer’s Guide (2025)
What Is Payslip Fraud in India?
Payslip fraud in India refers to the creation or alteration of salary slips to mislead employers during the hiring process.
Candidates use fake salary slips to:
- Exaggerate previous salaries (to negotiate higher pay)
- Hide gaps in employment
- Show false work experience
- Prove employment with a non-existent company
Whether in Gurgaon’s IT sector, Mumbai’s banking hubs, or startups in Bangalore, payslip fraud has become a widespread problem.
Why Payslip Fraud India Is Rising in 2025?
- Salary Inflation Pressure – In metros like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, rising living costs push candidates to inflate salaries.
- Competitive Job Market – Startups in Hyderabad and Pune hire fast, often skipping detailed verification.
- Digital Editing Tools – Easy access to Photoshop and online templates make fake payslips simple to create.
- Weak HR Controls – SMEs in Kolkata and Ahmedabad often lack structured background verification processes.
- Remote Hiring – Companies hiring pan-India without face-to-face verification face higher fraud risks.
Types of Fake Payslips in India HR Should Know
1. Completely Fake Payslips
Fabricated salary slips from non-existent employers. Common in Delhi NCR (Noida, Gurgaon) where fraudulent agencies openly sell fake documents.
2. Edited Payslips
Real payslips altered to show inflated salaries, bonuses, or designations. This is common in Mumbai BFSI and Bangalore IT roles.
3. Ghost Company Slips
Candidates present payslips from shell companies that don’t actually operate. Detected frequently in Hyderabad startups.
4. Digital Forgeries
Payslips generated with company logos but never issued by the HR/payroll system. These often show up in Chennai and Pune job markets.
Red Flags HR Should Watch for in Salary Slip Verification India
Here are the key indicators of fake payslips HR managers in India should look out for:
- Unprofessional Formatting – Misaligned text, unusual fonts, spelling errors.
- Unverified Employer Details – Fake GSTIN, non-existent corporate addresses.
- Inconsistent Deductions – Incorrect PF, ESI, or TDS calculations.
- No UAN/ESI Numbers – Genuine salary slips typically include statutory IDs.
- Unrealistic Salary Hikes – Big jumps between old salary and expected salary.
- Email Domains – Contact info using Gmail/Yahoo instead of corporate domains.
- Missing Stamp or Signature – Payslips without company HR seal or digital signature.
- Mismatch with Bank Statements – No salary credits matching the payslip amounts.
👉 HR leaders in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore confirm that the UAN check + bank statement verification often exposes fraud instantly.
Industry-Specific Risks of Payslip Fraud in India
- IT/ITES (Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad): Candidates inflate salaries to jump companies quickly.
- BFSI (Mumbai, Delhi NCR): Fake payslips are used to secure roles in banking and insurance.
- Startups (Gurgaon, Bangalore): Speedy hiring cycles lead to missed verifications.
- Microfinance (Kolkata, rural India): Candidates attempt fraud for loan officer positions.
- Manufacturing (Ahmedabad, Chennai): Workers often submit forged payslips to prove employment stability.
Legal Implications of Fake Payslips in India
Employers must be cautious. If they knowingly onboard candidates with fake payslips, it could lead to:
- Cheating & Forgery Charges (IPC 420, 468, 471): Candidate liability.
- Compliance Risks: Incorrect PF/ESI disclosures.
- Reputational Damage: Especially in regulated industries like BFSI in Mumbai.
How Pietos Helps Detect Payslip Fraud India
At Pietos, we combine technology with expert checks to identify fraudulent salary slips.
Our Payslip Verification Services:
- Employer Verification: Direct check with past employers across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai.
- UAN Verification: Validation of provident fund contributions.
- Bank Statement Checks: Matching credited salary with payslip values.
- Digital Forensics: Detecting image editing or PDF tampering.
- Court Record Search: Checking if candidate/employer is involved in fraud cases.
✅ With coverage in all major Indian hiring hubs — Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad — Pietos ensures no fraudulent payslip slips through.
Employer Best Practices for Salary Slip Verification India
- Make Payslip Verification Mandatory – Don’t skip, even for senior roles.
- Cross-Verify with UAN – Quick check of employment history.
- Ask for Bank Statements – Salary credits confirm authenticity.
- Use Trusted Vendors – Partner with Pietos for city-wide and pan-India checks.
- Educate Recruiters – Train HR teams to identify red flags.
Candidate Best Practices
For genuine candidates, here’s how to build trust:
- Provide official payslips directly from employer payroll system.
- Share bank statements as proof of salary credits.
- Keep UAN/ESI details ready for verification.
Case Study: Detecting Fake Payslips in Mumbai
A BFSI employer in Mumbai approached Pietos after a candidate submitted payslips showing a ₹1.5 lakh monthly salary.
Verification revealed:
- No UAN contributions for the stated employer.
- Salary credits in bank statement were only ₹80,000.
- Payslips were digitally edited.
👉 The employer avoided onboarding a fraudulent candidate who could have posed serious financial compliance risks.
Why Payslip Verification in India Is Non-Negotiable
Payslip fraud in India is rising rapidly, especially in competitive hiring hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
For HR leaders, the message is clear: trust without verification is a risk. Payslip checks, combined with UAN and bank verification, are essential to protect businesses.
At Pietos, we ensure employers can hire with confidence by detecting fraud early.
👉 Already tackling payslip fraud in India? Don’t miss our related guide: Fake Degrees in India: How Employers Can Detect Education Fraud.
Call to Action
Looking for a reliable payslip verification partner in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkata, or Ahmedabad?
📩 Contact Pietos at contact@pietos.com to protect your hiring process.
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