Salary secrets: 2 million Aussies admit to lying about how much they earn
Millions of Aussies are less than truthful when it comes to how much money they make, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,012 respondents revealed 1 in 10 (10%) – equivalent to 2 million people – have lied about their salary.
Of those who have fibbed, almost half (49%) have been dishonest about how much they earn to a friend, while a third (34%) have falsified their earnings to a family member.
More than 1 in 5 (21%) have gone as far as to lie to a romantic partner.
Lying to a prospective employer (27%) or on a financial application (10%) are other scenarios Aussies have been untruthful about how much they earn.
Graham Cooke, head of consumer research at Finder, said lying about salaries is often rooted in societal pressures, personal insecurities, or strategic motives.
"For some, inflating their earnings is a way to project an image of success and self-worth, or to gain leverage during salary negotiations.
"Individuals might falsify income on financial applications to secure loans, credit cards, or housing they otherwise wouldn't qualify for.
"While these actions might seem insignificant in some contexts, they carry substantial risks."
Gen Z (15%) were more likely than any other generation to admit to salary deception, followed by gen Y (11%), and gen X (9%).
Cooke said the impact of salary dishonesty extends beyond legal and financial consequences.
"It can result in more than just a denied loan.
"Falsifying information can severely damage your credit, hindering future borrowing, and potentially lead to legal prosecution."
Women (11%) were more likely than men (9%) to fib about their earnings.
However, of the men who did lie, they were more likely to say they've lied about their salary to a prospective employer (31%) and romantic partner (24%) than women (23% and 17% respectively).
Cooke said stretching the truth to a prospective employer is one thing, but financial dishonesty within a partnership strikes at the heart of trust.
"It breeds feelings of dishonesty, resentment, and can lead to communication breakdown.
"Transparency allows partners to jointly navigate financial decisions together."
Have you ever lied about your salary?
| Yes | 10% |
| No | 90% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,012 respondents, January 2025 |  |
In what scenarios have you lied about your salary?
| To a friend | 49% |
| To a family member | 34% |
| To a prospective employer | 27% |
| To a romantic partner | 21% |
| On a financial application | 10% |
| Other (please specify) | 4% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,012 respondents, 97 of whom lied about their salary, January 2025 | |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,012 respondents from January 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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