Without the right technology, it's easy for businesses to mistakenly pass fake W-2 forms as valid — but it’s crucial for banks and financial institutions to know how to verify one.
Without the right technology, it's easy for businesses to mistakenly pass fake W-2 forms as valid.
Identity thieves and organized crime rings use the information on these forms to claim unemployment benefits in others’ names. This includes stealing the victim's name, address, Social Security number (SSN), annual wage details, withholdings from income taxes, and benefits.
In most cases, victims of these scams are unaware of an identity breach. But that’s not all. They may also receive a 1099-G tax form in the mail detailing benefits they didn’t receive.
Such fraud surged during the coronavirus pandemic, when many people fell victim to unemployment fraud during tax filing season.
Thieves posted erroneous wages on fake W-2 forms using their victims’ names and employment identity numbers (EINs), siphoning more than $87B in federal unemployment benefits.
As fake W-2 forms become a nationwide problem, it’s crucial for banks and financial institutions to know how to verify one.
Financial institutions (especially lenders) were among the worst-hit during the 2008 mortgage crisis. High rates of mortgage loan defaulters brought down the entire sector (one of the worst events in U.S. history) resulting in the Great Recession.
Since then, banks and lending institutions made it tougher for consumers or business owners to apply for credit. They ask potential borrowers several assets, debt, and salary history questions before approving loans.
It’s no longer enough to take applicants on their word that they’ll repay loans or allow them to self-certify.
Instead, lenders perform credit checks on each borrower to determine creditworthiness and/or proof of income; the Form W-2 offers sufficient evidence.
Occasionally, lenders may request additional tax records, including 1099 forms, which report the type of income a borrower or taxpayer earned throughout the year. Such income sources range from interest income earned from a bank account to dividends paid for owning stock.
Banks and lenders use 1099 forms to review borrowers’ annual tax returns and verify their income depending on the size of the loan.
Based on the borrower’s income history (or lack of it) the bank may:
While 1099 and W-2 forms are solely for annual income tax returns purposes, not everyone sees them that way.
Fraudsters (identity thieves, cybercriminals, and other scammers) create false 1099s and fake W-2 forms and commit fraud.
For example, Patrick Poux, a former Brooklyn resident, created fake W-2 forms with excessively high federal income withholdings to gain millions in fraudulent refunds through shell companies he managed. Poux pleaded guilty to garnering about $3M in tax returns and Covid-relief funds: money which he spent on a life coach and luxury shopping.
Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney who pursued the case against Poux, said he admitted to “preparing and filing false applications for millions of dollars” in tax and COVID-19 disaster relief funds. Yet Poux’s tax-related identity theft scam is just one among many fake W-2 form schemes defrauding U.S. taxpayers.
Some cybercriminals launch scams through phishing emails that seek to draw sensitive employee information from people in authority, including chief operating officers. The fraudsters pose as executives and send emails to finance or payroll personnel requesting copies of employees’ W-2 forms.
Initially, the fraudsters send friendly emails, then ask for all Form W-2 and employment details. Several reported cases show that once they get the data they want, they either:
Some criminals go to great lengths to lure their victims, offering seemingly legitimate “tax services” designed to separate them from their money, identities, or anything of value within their reach. The goal: to steal the victims’ identities and tax refunds.
These scams might even include fake tax forms or websites that mimic the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to trick the victim into disclosing personal or work-related information.
The IRS regularly cautions taxpayers against such scams by publishing its annual “Dirty Dozen” list.
Some of these schemes are disguised as debt payment options for mortgage or credit card debt. For example, victims might be asked to fill out:
The con artists provide fake Form 1099s or W-2 forms that appear to be issued by a large mortgage company, loan service, or bank the victim may have had a prior relationship with.
Fraud happens anywhere. However, banks and other financial institutions are major targets of fraud schemes, which increase in number, volume, and variety.
Different lenders have experienced untold significant losses because of fake documentation and other fraudulent activities, particularly with commercial mortgage loans.
It’s difficult for banks to detect when fraud is happening, increasing the likelihood of making losses. This includes those incurred from paying stiff penalties for neglect.
Banks and lenders rely on genuine documentation to approve or deny loan or credit applications.
It’s challenging to identify a fake W-2 form with the naked eye. Internet sites, off-the-shelf software, and advanced W-2 generator tools make it relatively easy to create fake W-2 statements.
That’s why you need to be well-read and informed on what to look for.
From a Fraud Investigations symposium organized by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), some of the red flags to look for in a fake W-2 form include:
Financial institutions have stringent policies, guidelines, and precautions in place, protecting them from fraudulent activities. They check for inconsistencies and inaccuracies in customers’ records, using financial history and public records to confirm the information provided.
Technology helps, too. Software and other programs, such as Inscribe, have special anti-fraud features in place to effectively fight against fraud attempts.
These tools confirm information and flag inaccuracies in customer information against multiple sources, including bank records. Some tools also use special embedded coding features for tracking any edits, alterations, or modifications to documents.
Ready to protect your bank or lending institution from fake W-2 schemes? Talk to our experts to learn how Inscribe can help you detect and prevent fraud.
Check out our other guides on document processing:
See how you can automate manual document reviews, improve fraud detection, and start approving more customers with confidence.
