I agree that you won't find forged PDF documents in the wild with any type of frequency, but they are forged in private settings. Forged or doctored bank statements are relatively more common. FinCEN identifies altered bank statements alongside W-2s, tax returns, gift letters, and employment information as examples of documents involved in mortgage fraud [1]. In March 2026, a mortgage loan officer was even charged by federal prosecutors with altering and creating bank statements to make borrowers appear qualified for a mortgage [2].
I can't find the quote any more, but when some internal bank workers were done for laundering money (possibly the Estonian branch of Danske Bank), one of the messages between the defendants read "There's always photoshop" :)
sjtgraham · · focus · HN ↗
[1] <a href="https://www.fincen.gov/mortgage-loan-fraud" rel="nofollow">https://www.fincen.gov/mortgage-loan-fraud
[2] <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/licensed-mortgage-loan-officer-charged-bank-fraud" rel="nofollow">https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/licensed-mortgage-loan-...
rithdmc · · focus · HN ↗