How to see the original PDF file? Employer altered it somehow

[mike123]

Hi. I need some help please. Every month my employer sends me an email with a link to their servers where I can download my payslip (in pdf file).  I usually download it and open it on my phone. The file is password protected.

Today (when I wanted to see a payslip from two months ago) I downloaded it again from their servers and it was altered. They modified some stuff in it. They screwed something up and now they obviously want to destroy the evidence. Wait for it. I then found the same payslip that I downloaded it to my phone two months ago and it was altered as well.

How the hell can they do that? Did they hack my phone somehow?

How can I see the original file and expose them?

Unfortunately I don't have any screenshots of the original file. I thought the pdf file was safely stored on my phone. 

I really appreciate your help,

Mike

[Amal. · Accepted solution]

Hi there

Hope you're doing well  and I'm sorry to hear about the issue.

If the payslip file always has the same name, downloading it again may have replaced the old file on your phone. This can make it seem like the original was changed, but it’s actually just been overwritten.

PDF files usually can’t be edited without a password. But if your employer has full access, they could have re-created the file and uploaded a new version with the same name and password. So, it’s not likely that your phone was hacked , the file was probably just updated at the source.

Here are a few tips that might help:

• If you use cloud backup services like Google Drive, iCloud, or Samsung Cloud, check if the original file was saved there.

• If you still have the PDF on your phone (even the updated one), you might be able to check its metadata. This can show details like when it was created or last modified , which might help you understand what changed and when.

Also, it’s a good idea to ask your employer for an official copy and explain your concern. If anything still feels off, you might want to speak with HR or a legal advisor for help.

[mike123]

Thanks for a quick reply. I checked - when I downloaded the file from their servers today, it wasn't replaced. On my phone I now have two files. One dated from two months ago (original name) and one from today (original name and 1 at the end).

Yes, the employer gave me a password to access my payslips. So he probably has full control. Also I tried to check metadata inside adobe (I'm new at this though) but there isn't any data at all (creation date and modified date are all blank). Are there any special programs that can help me? Seems like someone's been cleaning house 😁

I don't want to talk to my employer about that because I don't want them to know that I know. They might try to alter something else. 

[try67]

They can't change a PDF file that's on your device without some extremely advanced (and expensive) cyber-attack tools, the kind used by nefarious governments on dissidents and journalists, not by companies that want to change something in a payslip... It's much more likely that either the file was always like that, and you didn't notice it, or you've overwritten the old version with the new one at some point.

[mike123]

I didn't overwrite it as I still see the exact same date that I first downloaded it on my phone.

The payslip is different than two months ago. I started to doubt myself, but my friend reassured me I'm not crazy as he remembers we talked about this one bizarre detail that was on the payslip (which is now gone).

[ls_rbls]

@mike123 ,

I would like to contribute my perspective by adopting the role of a "devil's advocate" in response to your message.

Upon reviewing your post multiple times, it seems that several crucial aspects have been overlooked, which are necessary for a comprehensive understanding of your situation.

Considering the context in which you have posted your inquiry, I find it challenging to see how your inquiry aligns with an Acrobat Pro support question (which is the forum where you posted your inquiry).

On the other flip of the coin, as an anonymous participant in this public online support forum, one might speculate that you could be the nefarious "employer" seeking assistance while portraying yourself as a victim, perhaps in an effort to gather strategies to prevent your employees from discovering discrepancies in their pay slips.

However, advocating for you as a victim, a key question to consider is the type of mobile device and operating system you used to download the PDF.

For example, how did you access it through: a mobile web browser or the Acrobat Pro Mobile App (signed in with your user ID?

It would also be worth trying to download the pay slip again from the server and view it on a full desktop version of Adobe Acrobat Pro Dc.

Furthermore, I would be curious to know if you hold a paid subscription.

And if you do, and IF you can substantiate your claim that information has vanished from your pay slip, it may be more appropriate to seek legal counsel rather than using a support forum to explore ways to retaliate against an employer through digital means.

In this regard, @Amal.  has already provided you with the most prudent advice, given the very vague information you have shared.