Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Arizona

Re: info on rental application

Personally, I lie about such information, except social security number. And that I only give out a correct version when there's some reason that tax information would be provided to the IRS; in the case of rent, interest on a security deposit in this state is paid to the tenants and reported to the IRS.

But I generally give made-up mother's middle names and incorrect bank account numbers to people who have no reason to know that would serve me. HOWEVER: know that a) if you are swearing to the accuracy of the information, there could be some downsides, and b) if you are ever found out, it could conceivably (though not likely) be grounds for eviction, c) the rental application may be used to see if you have money in the bank currently and if you give a wrong number and they check on what you've written, they might just end up not giving you the apartment. (But once they give it to you, they probably wouldn't do any more checking.)

The major downside I can think of is if there were some battle between you in the future and they had that info and could use it to help pursue you, e.g., for rent unpaid. As an attorney, I've had to go look for a deadbeat-tenant's bank account so that I could attach it for the back rent. (The slime-ball owed my client $5,000!) But of course you would close one account and open a new one somewhere else if that happened, wouldn't you? And if you pay your rent by check, they'll see your account number anyway, won't they?

As for mother's maiden name, however, don't you find that every bank uses it as a sort of password? So I definitely would not give that out. Frankly, I don't even tell the banks her real maiden name. I make up different ones for each bank and I have a scheme to help me remember each one should I need it. That way an employee of one bank can't easily fool around with my accounts at another bank.

I would also be most unhappy about giving out my real credit card numbers, but, short of theft / fraud, there's probably little that could be done with it.

To recap: bank account number is ultimately harmless; mother's maiden name ... never!, social security number -- I WOULD give out, and credit card numbers probably not. And instead of refusing to give anything, if I'm not signing an oath, I probably would give false info myself. But I wouldn't lie about how much money I had or how much I owed, either. THAT would be fraud on my part.

HOWEVER, NOTHING I'VE SAID HERE SHOULD BE TAKEN AS LEGAL ADVICE. FRANKLY, SOME OF IT MAY BE ILLEGAL AND SOME MAY BE INADVISABLE!

Good luck.