Diploma Mills Redux

Stanley Still Gets a Degree !

SACRAO 2012 M5.05 Janet L Davis, jldavis2@uno.edu

What are Diploma Mills?

“A diploma mill (also known as a degree mill) is an organization which awards academic degrees and diplomas with very little or no academic study and without recognition by official accrediting bodies. Such organizations are unaccredited by standards of traditional institutions, but they often claim accreditation by non-standard organizations set up for the purposes of providing a veneer of authenticity. “ – Wikipedia.org

A "degree mill" issues "real" diplomas from entities which may be legally able to operate but are generally NOT legitimate universities.

A "diploma mill" issues counterfeit diplomas which bear the names of legitimate universities.

What are their Characteristics?

They are substandard or fraudulent “schools” that offer potential students degrees with little or no serious work.

Some are just a mailbox to which you send payment in exchange for paper that purports to be a college degree.

Others require some nominal work from the student but do not require the college-level work that is normally required for that degree.

It Could be a Diploma Mill If …There is no regional accreditation (they will often

discuss why regional accreditation is narrow-minded, US-centric, or outmoded).

Accreditation by a vague or international body.The only way to communicate with them is by

phone or a web-form or email.Their location is a PO Box or a Suite #.Usually no list of faculty and credentials.The time to “earn” the degree is short.

It Could be a Diploma Mill If cont’d …

It has a name similar to a well-known school.It mentions degrees based on “life

experience” or review of a resume.Its fees are a lump sum and unusually high

or low for the type of degree.It lists a variety of degrees available (HS to

PhD).It states that if you don’t see the degree you

want, just fill it in on the order form.

Why Should We Be Concerned?

They are fraudulent; they are a way for hucksters to make money while providing no service.

They devalue college degrees by making them available without college-level work.

They confuse employers and licensing boards.

They can be dangerous.They can be confused with legitimate

distance education schools.

They Can Lead to Embarrassment

Who are the Victims?Diploma Mills prey on the innocent and

naive.Employers can end up with untrained

employees that are liabilities in more than one way.

The public can be harmed by teachers, engineers, lawyers, therapists and so on who purchased their degrees.

Where are they?They operate in states/countries with lax laws and

can move as necessary if/when those laws change.They often operate in more than one state,

complicating the jurisdiction so much that it is difficult to prosecute them.

The US is not alone; diploma mills operate freely on all continents except Antarctica.

Penalties are slight and worth the multi-million dollar income; state attorneys general are often not interested.

Bogus “Accrediting” AgenciesWOEAC – World Online Education Accrediting

CommissionBOUA - Board of Online Universities Accreditation UCOEA – Universal Council for Online Education

AccreditationWAUC – World Association of Universities and CollegesIAAOU – International Accreditation Agency for Online

UniversitiesAOAEX – Association for Online Academic ExcellenceIBOEA – International Bureau of Education Accreditation

BOUA

IAAOU

Types of Diploma MillsThose that “reprint” your diploma or just

print you one.Those that sell you a degree based on life

experience (and your approved credit card).

Those that act as brokers for unnamed institutions (many overseas).

Diploma “Reprints”They will print a diploma from any school in

their database.No verification that you ever earned the

degree in the first place.They are willing to add schools to the list,

and offer monetary incentives to get copies of other diplomas.

Diploma “Print/Reprint” Sitesfakediplopmasale.com – offer “reprints”

of diplomas and transcriptsphonydiploma.comdiplomareplacementservice.com

(contact only via email)diplomamakers.comdiplomacompany.comBackalleypress.com

Buying a DegreeAward whatever degree you select (as long as

you pay).Offer “packages” that contain diplomas,

transcripts, degree/enrollment verifications, and letters of achievement.

Supply a toll-free number for verifications that can be given to potential employers (and it is NOT a legitimate degree verification organization).

phonydiploma.com school list

Now they use a web form …

In less than 10 minutes…

phonydiploma.comClaims to use secure transcript paper that

will say “COPY” or “VOID” if it is copied.Will adjust classes on the phony transcript

according to the degree and major.Will reproduce emblems, seals, stamps and

logos, but will use in-house signatures (will charge $10 extra for a Registrar’s signature and $20 for printing on the back).

backalleypress.com (China)

Florida Atlantic transcript is used as a sample on their web site

Degrees for SaleThey claim to award degree based on life

experiences.Degree can be received quickly.Evaluation of your “credentials” is done quickly

by a “team” of evaluators.They often offer multiple degree “packages”

(Bachelor & Master, or Master & PhD) that can include degree verifications, fake transcripts, and so on, in addition to the diploma.

Some Notorious Degree Sellers

Rochville University (major player)Lacrosse University (Bay St Louis, closed

‘07)Trinity Institute of Christian Counseling

(“Equipping God’s Healers in the 21st Century”)

St Regis University (Liberia, closed)Columbus University (Picayune, MS)Barrington University (now University of

Atlanta)Bernadean University (California)

Rochville University

Rochville University

Then 2 weeks later …..

More Degree SellersKennedy-Western University Ashwood University Suffield University Madison University (which now is just a

Graduate Records page for verification)Almeda University Bronte International University (was Trinity

College & University)Berkeley International University

Stanley Applied to Ashwood U

Berkeley International

Even holds “graduation” ceremonies

And More ……….Breyer State University (was in AL, then ID,

now a mail box in CA)Fort Young University (Liberia)Pebble Hills UniversityBelford UniversityMcFord University (has a Presidential

Scholarship!)Redding University (has a school store)Woodfield UniversityLorenz UniversityUniversity of the Holy Land

The “Hook”

Go direct to

BUY a Genuine College

Degree NOW!

with fast shipping to your

door. ..in plain packaging

QUICKLY succeed by getting a Bachelor, Master or Doctorate College Degree in JUST DAYS with no coursework. 

Add degrees to your resume in just 7 days and open avenues to promotion and better jobs!

Stately Buildings

More Hype …You have more experience yet your colleague gets promoted?

Many companies where you apply for a job don’t give you a call as you lack the basic education they require?

You struggle in relationships, as 'she' thinks you don’t have a promising future?

Free Shipping !!Why bother with generic looking fake diploma, why not go for the real deal and get yourself fake degrees that have been painstakingly created with the utmost care and even if subjected to close examination our fake diplomas will pass any quality check, so why take a risk with low quality alternatives, when we are here to create authentic fake university diplomas for you!

Diploma BrokersThey screen the prospects and supposedly

match them with institutions.Prospects do not know the name of the

institution until the money has been paid.Some take PayPal , but most only want

credit cards.

Diploma Brokerslife-experience-degrees-online.comuniversaldegree.cominstantDegrees.com (buydegree.org)college-degree-fast.cominstant-degrees.networryfreedegree.comspeedydegrees.com

Web Sitesdegreeagency.comspeedydegrees.comfakedegrees.com phonydiploma.comcooldegree.com (plus fake ID’s)fakediploma-review.org/home.html (!!!)nd-center.com/index.htmlinstantdegrees.comtoeflcelta.blogspot.com

More Web Sites

diplomareplacementservice.com (was diplomaprintingservice.net)

backalleypress.com (in China)bogusphd.com (for $59.95)diplomamakers.com worryfreedegree.com (offers Apostille service)bestfakediploma.comsuperiorfakedegree.comboxfreeconcepts.com/fake/diplomas.html **

Testimonials "I have never been offered as many loans by my bank as I have since beginning to use my Doctoral Title."      Dr. P. Johnson

"Absolutely splendid service, with minimum pain in the wallet !!I received my Doctorate Degree in 6 days, and am now busy updating my personal details (cards, passport etc), which will take a whole lot longer than obtaining my Degree." 

Dr. RSC

"I use my Degree ( a Doctorate) as a dating ploy.  I had good quality calling cards professionally printed and I always present them on being introduced to anyone.  Often, I simply introduce myself to a lady I find attractive and offer the card saying that I would like to meet her for dinner at some future date, if she is amenable.  More often than not, I receive a  call."     Mark Trenton Ph.D.

More Testimonials

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Not Just Higher Ed…..Lincoln AcademyJames Madison High SchoolPennFord High SchoolContinental AcademyJohn Adams Madison Falls High SchoolAlford High School

And just who is Stanley??

Questions ???