For some individuals, purchasing status by obtaining a fake degree could provide a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. It can also empower them to pursue their dreams with greater confidence and determination.
However, fake credentials could make an institution and cause doubt in the minds of employers and other stakeholders.
Credential Fraud
With the rising costs of higher education and the fierce competition for jobs fuelling fraud, fake credentials have become an industry worth billions of dollars across the globe. From diploma mills that turn fake degrees, to individuals purchasing fake degrees to boost their career, these fraudulent documents could have severe consequences for businesses and organizations.
The exploitation of fraudulent credentials is widespread and affects every industry. This can result in unqualified healthcare workers providing services that may compromise the patient’s security and diminish the credibility of law enforcement agencies. It may also erode confidence in higher education. It also undermines legitimate academic achievements and undermines the credibility of professional organizations.
In this blog we’ll discuss what you need to be aware of about credential fraud and how best practices can help you prevent it. We will also provide some ways to spot fake credentials in the process of hiring. This includes conducting thorough background checks, and directly contacting references to confirm claims about the work experience of employees.
The New York Times expose on Axact, the Pakistani business that earned millions selling fake degrees to students, is an example of how credential fraud is still a significant issue around the world. Diploma mills are becoming more prevalent within higher education. It is due to reasons such as bribery of admissions officials, athletics fraud and contract cheating, shady marketing, and many more.
The Degree Verification
Credentials are important when you’re hiring a new employee or looking for an individual to fill a leadership job. Many applicants are sloppy about their credentials on their resumes and applications to look more skilled. Degree verifications help employers quickly detect false information about the schools were attended and the degree earned so they can make better hiring decisions.
Verifications of education can be made by calling the registrar at an applicant’s claimed school. Most registrars are willing confirm the dates of attendance, the major and degrees awarded on demand. The registrar will send an official transcript of the student’s academic records in the event that they are allowed to do so.
This is a warning signal if a registrar does not know the answer to a specific query or refuses to accept the verification of specific data points. https://lambangnhanh.com/ It could indicate that the school is a diploma mill and their records haven’t been maintained or updated properly by the university. It could also be a indication that the school is not accredited, or that the registrar does not authorize third-party organizations to request educational verifications. You should contact a background screening company like iprospectcheck to request them to confirm the details of your candidates. This will cut down on time and will ensure you’re working with trustworthy data.
Diploma Mills
Diploma mills are fraudulent “colleges” which dispense degrees for a fee to students who aren’t aware they exist. Certain copies of names and transcripts from legitimate universities, while others offer degrees with minimal or no effort. Credit is often based on life experiences or obscure topics that are difficult to verify.
Legitimate accreditation is an important security against fraud, but it’s not completely foolproof. Diploma mills boast accreditations from institutions not recognized by the Department of Education, or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. These are two reputable organizations who oversee accreditation. Additionally, these schools may also change their names or employ fake website addresses to protect themselves from being discovered by authorities.
In essence, diploma mills undermine the importance of learning and educational standards by treating degrees as commodities to be sold and bought. These bogus credentials may have grave consequences for the work place. Imagine the healthcare worker with no qualifications who results in harm to a patient or the accountant who is incompetent and generates massive tax liabilities for a company, or the engineer whose plan has been a disaster.
It’s important to be sure that you’re working with a trusted school in this day and age when scams and cynical manipulating are a common occurrence. Learn to recognize telltale indications of a school’s diploma mill and protect yourself from fake schools that could damage your career and the reputation of your business.
Integrity of the Job Market
It is possible that you’re concerned as the leader of a company where fake degrees could become problematic in the job market. This isn’t only because it allows fraudulent individuals to be placed in roles that they do not have the skills for, but also because it undermines the work ethic and credentials of genuine graduates.
Luckily, there are ways to make sure you hire the best employee for your business. The degree verification services are one method to ensure this. This is a service that contacts the university on your behalf to verify the academic records of the student. You can use this service to detect a fake or fraudulent degree and avoid hiring a person without the relevant skills and experience.
Requesting a copy of the document and checking that the details are accurate is another method to ensure you hire the right person. This is a fast and simple step that can assist in weeding out applicants who have fake credentials. Look out for things like grammar and spelling errors, as well as red flags like using cod-medieval Latin terminology (i.e.”cum thee’).
While it may be tempting to obtain fake qualifications for status or money, you must remember that these could come back to haunt you later on. They also can create ethical questions.