Fake Degree Certificates are more common than you might think. People buy these fake credentials for a variety of reasons.

These bogus degrees undermine the hard work, dedication and trust of genuine graduates. It is important to understand why they are used and how they can be spotted. Here are some tips: The name of the institution should be searchable on Google.

Credential Fraud

From fake degrees from nonexistent universities to counterfeit certifications that falsely attest to an individual’s skills, credential fraud is a real and growing threat. This type of fraudulent activity undermines the credibility of legitimate credentials, leads to sensational news headlines and damages the reputation of reputable universities and colleges.

The U.S. is particularly prone to diploma mills, which thrive on for-profit schools, a fragmented system of licensing and accreditation and a comparatively free market in education, according to the book’s authors. Governments devote too little effort to shutting down these bogus educational institutions and hiring managers, including at universities, do too little to check the credentials of potential employees, the authors contend.

Evo: Sarah Eaton: We need to make people aware of the dangers of these phony credentials. That means higher ed leaders need to be open and honest about it, and they need the right training. They should also be partnering with professional background screening companies that are experts in this area.

These companies can verify a degree with the legitimacy of its university, as well as check for fake degrees from fake universities and even from a real school using a pseudonym or an out-of-state address. They can also conduct a full background and employment check, along with verification of professional licenses and certifications.

Diploma Mills

Diploma mills sell degrees without any actual academic study or rigor, and they can pose serious risks for the people who buy them. For one thing, employers usually check credentials before hiring and can easily detect phony qualifications. In addition, obtaining a degree from a diploma mill can damage a person’s reputation and can also lead to legal problems.

Some diploma mills offer degrees in a wide range of subjects, such as business or healthcare, without requiring students to take any classes or complete rigorous coursework. Others offer “life experience credit,” which allows students to earn degrees based on their previous work instead of traditional academic study. Diploma mills often have flashy websites and may even use fake accreditation agencies or create their own accrediting bodies to make them seem credible.

Other signs of diploma mills include an inflated timeline for earning degrees (e.g., a bachelor’s degree takes only 27 days to obtain) and an insistence on using names similar or exotic sounding to those of reputable universities. Many diploma mills also have vague or unspecified faculty qualifications and avoid providing details about the structure of their academic programs https://lambanggiagiare.net/.

State and federal authorities have tried to shut down diploma mills over the years, but enforcement has waxed and waned depending on jurisdictional priorities and the difficulty of distinguishing fraudulent and legitimate institutions. In some cases, federal law requires a specific intent to defraud in order to prosecute diploma mills, but that’s not always easy to prove.

Educational Integrity

Academic integrity is an important part of student life that allows for an honest, fair and transparent learning environment. Students must be willing to accept the responsibilities of academic integrity and the impact of their actions. A lack of integrity can affect a student’s reputation and career in the future, as well as their professional colleagues, classmates and employers.

Examples of academic integrity violations include plagiarism, contract cheating, test banks and more. These shortcut solutions deprive students of the opportunity to put their own original thoughts on paper and can negatively impact a student’s learning journey. For example, when a student’s answers aren’t their own, it’s impossible to get an accurate assessment of their progress or provide the appropriate support for improvement.

Fraudulent credentials undermine trust in educational systems and institutions, as well as professional certifications. This can have devastating impacts on people’s lives and careers, including legal consequences for individuals involved in fraud, as well as a negative impact on the credibility of academic disciplines and the organizations that validate their work.

Higher education leaders need to be aware of the impact of fake degrees and credential fraud. They need to raise awareness within their institution and take the necessary steps to combat this issue. This can include ensuring that they have rigorous verification processes in place; increasing awareness about the issue through workshops and other outreach efforts; creating networks and databases to share known instances of fraud; and instituting laws and regulations to address these issues.

Degree Verification

Degree verification is one of the best tools employers can use to identify a fake credential. The process involves contacting the institution where your candidate completed their degree, typically by submitting an official verification request form. The form should include all pertinent details such as the applicant’s name, date of graduation, program and major, enrollment status (for current students), and a signature indicating authorization to release student information.

Academic credential fraud is a global issue that affects the reputation of institutions, students, and even well-respected individuals like professors and business leaders. In fact, a recent study found that despite the high level of sophistication that diploma mills have developed to fool the public, most people in higher education are unaware that they exist.

The best way to combat academic credential fraud is by conducting comprehensive background checks that can confirm an applicant’s claims of education and work history. In addition to verifying degrees, it is also a good idea to look at other credentials such as professional licenses and certifications. These can help you identify potential red flags, such as lying about your qualifications to get a job or falsifying industry credentials to get a business contract. In a 2023 survey, 7 out of 10 employees admitted to lying on their resumes and many of them admit to doing it often.