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How to verify a proof of funds letter

A proof of funds letter is the document that turns an offer into a credible one — and that is exactly why it gets faked. In a competitive real-estate deal, a fabricated balance can win a property the buyer can't actually close on, costing the seller weeks and the next-best buyer. The letter is short, the letterhead is easy to copy, and the number is the whole point. Before that number moves a decision, check the file it arrived in.

What a genuine letter's file looks like

A real proof of funds comes from a bank's document system or is produced on the institution's templates and exported to PDF. Its file records reflect an institutional origin and a date close to when it was requested, usually as a single clean export. Many banks now include a digital signature on these letters; where one is present, it is the strongest possible confirmation that the bytes were sealed by the institution and not altered afterward.

The edits that betray a fabricated balance

• A consumer editor in the file's records. A letter whose file was last saved by a PDF editor or an image tool, rather than a banking or document system, did not come from the bank in that form.
• A modified balance over a real letter. Stacked edit layers or a modification date after creation are the signature of someone opening a genuine letter and changing the number.
• Dates that don't line up. A letter dated months ago for a deal happening now, or a creation date that contradicts the letter's printed date, is worth a direct check.
• An image instead of text. A flattened screenshot erases the records a genuine export carries; treat an image-only letter as unverified until the bank confirms it.

The check that actually settles it

A file check tells you whether to verify; for a number this consequential, verify regardless. Call the institution at a number you find independently — never the number printed on the letter, which a fabricator controls — and confirm the letter and the balance directly, or have the funds confirmed through escrow. For wired earnest money or closing funds, treat any change to payment instructions as the attack itself and confirm by phone before anything moves.

FAQ

Can a proof of funds letter be digitally signed?

Increasingly, yes. Where a bank applies a digital signature, it is the strongest confirmation available: a valid signature proves the letter's bytes were sealed by the institution and unchanged since. Most letters are still unsigned, in which case the file's metadata and a phone confirmation carry the weight.

What if the buyer sends a screenshot of their balance instead?

A screenshot has no institutional origin in its records and is trivially edited, so it is unverified by default. Ask for a letter or statement issued by the bank, ideally downloaded from the buyer's online banking in front of you or delivered by the institution.

Whose phone number should I call to confirm?

A number you source yourself from the bank's official website or branch — never the number on the letter. Fabricated letters list accomplice numbers that answer professionally; the source of the number matters more than the call.