&gt; Why is the business of the new employer to know how much I was making at my previous position?<p>This isn&#x27;t the question that I answered. It was asked how stating a specific, untrue salary might be fraud.<p>Refusing to answer and giving an untrue number are different.<p>&gt; Also, I could be wrong but I don&#x27;t think a new employer will contact a previous employer to specifically learn how much a particular individual was earning.<p>Lying doesn&#x27;t mean you&#x27;ll get caught.<p>Also, be careful. For example, during a background check for one my jobs (a rather &quot;ordinary&quot; one), they said they couldn&#x27;t verify one of my previous employers, and asked if I could send them proof. I sent W2s for both years I was employed and my offer letter, which satisfied them. Maybe some would feel that&#x27;s too remote a risk to worry about, but it&#x27;s not out of the question.