You Can Unknowingly Be Earning a Fake Degree

Fake diplomas are big business these days, especially with the popularity of the internet and online education. With new online programs continually being offered on the worldwide web, it almost makes it easy for a scam artist to sneak in a website from a seemingly legitimate school, and then offer a certificate, diploma or degree from their imaginary institution.

Have you heard the term "diploma mill?" That's what these websites are - businesses that make a profit by disguising themselves as legitimate educational institutions. They make money by selling printed degrees to enrolled victims who are obviously not aware of the scam. However, there are also students out there who are fully aware of the scam and are knowingly purchasing their degrees in order to build their credentials for professional or academic reasons.

How Can I Tell If I'm Dealing With a Diploma Mill?

• A diploma mill will not openly name an accrediting agency or may name a fake one.
• Written materials from the school (even the diplomas themselves!) may often contain spelling and/or grammatical errors.
• The fake school will often change their contact information, such as location.
• The school often advertises how quickly you can earn your degree, with not much effort on your part. They may not even ask for information regarding your academic history.
• How about requesting your GPA (Grade Point Average) and academic honors at the time of purchase? It's common for a diploma mill to allow you to do this!

Although most people seek to legitimately earn their degree, some people may knowingly purchase a fake degree if they feel they are in a desperate situation. Maybe he or she has been out of work for a while and doesn't have a college degree. Being able to "earn" one in just a few short weeks may be a tempting proposition. But be aware that if you do get hired based on your degree, and your employer finds out it's a fake, you will be right back to square one again - no job. With unemployment rates continuing to rise, this scenario may start to be a common one. It's best to do the right thing and get a legitimate degree from a quality institution.

Make Sure You're Not a Victim!

• Do your research to verify if the school you want to attend is accredited and by whom. Then make sure the accrediting agency is legitimate.
• Don't be lured by advertisements that say you can get your degree in record time, or other unrealistic claims. Earning your degree legitimately takes some time and effort on your part!
• Contact the Better Business Bureau to make sure the school is operating legally and there are no complaints filed against them.
• Ask about transferring credits and what information they need from you in order to enroll. Their response could be the red flag that tells you they are not a legitimate school.
• Find out about the professors, the degrees offered, and other pertinent information that may indicate you are not dealing with a legitimate institution.

If you're considering earning your degree online, it will be worth the time and effort involved to thoroughly research the schools you are considering. As the number of diploma mills continue to increase, more people will fall victim to their scams. Be sure you aren't one of them.