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Forged Degrees | Newsletter 1 |
Reference research is uncovering a staggering increase in forged university degrees amongst applicants. Inline Reference Check has recently uncovered two sources for bogus degrees: the first one through the Internet, where anyone can order a remarkably good quality forged degree from the University of choice; and the other through Mail Order where Degree, transcripts, letters of recommendation and even telephone backup are part of the package.
RALEIGH (WRAL) -- They save our lives, protect our life savings and guide the lives of future generations. The teachers, accountants, lawyers and doctors who display diplomas that we trust represent countless hours of hard work and training. However, more of those professionals than you might realize are fakes using phony diplomas.
A Michigan man spent 10 years as a surgeon participating in hundreds of procedures, including heart bypass surgery and hysterectomies, before someone found out he used a fake degree to get a medical license. A California school system superintendent was caught faking a doctorate from Stanford complete with phony transcripts.
A Florida man practiced as a cosmetic surgeon, disfiguring several people before it was discovered he was a fraud.
The scary thing is they are not isolated incidents. "I think it's an epidemic, and we're just beginning to discover that," said Dr. John Bear. Bear has spent decades researching so-called "diploma mills," the dozens of companies or "schools" that sell degrees and diplomas for little, if any, education. Bear says the number of professionals who buy and use them is frightening. "Five percent of all the medical doctors in America have credentials that don't check out. I mean we're talking maybe tens of thousands of doctors," said Bear.
All it takes to get a fake degree is money. "I hold before you my Harvard medical degree. I mean this says I have a Harvard medical degree. It cost me 100 bucks," said Bear.
On Your Side searched the Internet and found that people could buy a degree in anything from a Bachelor of Arts in Education to a Doctor of Philosophy. Most come without tests, classes or books, and some are based on a "point system" for "life and business experience." Because of the Internet, laser printers and color copiers, most of the degrees look pretty authentic.
While many companies claim they are for "novelty purposes only," they do not come at a novelty price.
A "budget" law degree costs $150, and a Ph.D. within 30 days is $2,000.
You can even get a diploma for some very familiar schools, including Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and N.C. State.
How do people who use these fake degrees get away with it even for a little while? A Raleigh-based head hunter says it is easier than most people think because many employers simply do not check.
"It's something where they're just trying to speed up the process because they know if they don't snatch on to this candidate for any reason, they're going to be gone," said recruiter Shane Hill. He says statistics show more than two-thirds of all resumes include false information, often about education.
"If they're going to be untrustworthy on something basically as simple as this, where else are we going to have problems?" said Hill.
Inline Reference Check has developed relationships with staff in Registrar's Offices at universities throughout North America. Checking academic credentials can be done effectively and efficiently when the contacts are in place. Confirming university degrees and professional affiliations should be a consistent component of all employee screening policies and procedures. Inline Reference Check provides thorough background checking services including reference interviews, credit reports, driver's license abstracts and credential confirmation.
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Phone: (416) 410-4881 Fax: (519) 927-5371 Toll Free: 1-800-873-7577 www.InlineReference.com |
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