In auth.py check user exists  before calling user_obj.verify_password(password)

```def authenticate(email, password):
    # step 1
    try:
        user_obj = User.objects.get(email=email)
    except Exception as e:
        user_obj = None
    if user_obj:
        if not user_obj.verify_password(password):
            return None
    return user_obj```