FTC Warns of Diploma Mill Scams
Most Online Degrees Legit, But Diploma Mill Scams Abound
America's watchdog consumer agency, the Federal Trade Commission, has hoisted yet another red flag about an education-related scam. Entitled "Diploma Mills: Degrees of Deception", the FTC memo takes issue with diploma mills, a form of online deception practiced by companies all too eager to exploit the country's fascination with online learning and online degrees. Victims of the scam respond to an email message promising a college-level degree based solely on their extensive life experience, all in exchange for a relatively modest, one-time fee. Instead of setting off alarm bells, the fact that the degree requires little or even no classroom work makes the offer so mouth-watering that some just can't resist.
In some ways, diploma mills have been a scam waiting to happen. The rise of legitimate online universities - the University of Phoenix, Westwood College and Kaplan University are good examples - have made it easier than ever for America's working adults to participate in the learn-to-earn revolution. The job qualifications that come with an online degree generally translate into better pay and better career prospects.
While employers now look at legitimate online degrees with much less scepticism than they did just a few years ago, they're far from keen on "diploma mill" graduates. If you get caught holding a diploma mill degree when applying for a job or - perhaps even worse - a graduate degree program, expect to be shown the door in no uncertain terms.
The FTC says that diploma mills trolling for "graduates" often set their hook and then reel in their catch using a spurious claim of accreditation. By claiming to be "accredited", a diploma mill can easily create a sense of security in those it targets.
While many people are aware that American colleges and universities voluntarily have their curriculum reviewed as part of the accreditation process, few are familiar with the approximately half a dozen regional and 80 professional accrediting associations in the United States. When a diploma mill makes up an official sounding designation for its alleged accrediting agency, it's easy to be fooled. One way to confirm a school's accreditation credentials is to check the list of accredited colleges and universities at the website of the Department of Education.
Of course, says the FTC, a claim of accreditation is really just the icing on the cake for diploma mill scammers. If they're going to take the bait, most recipients of an email offering a diploma mill degree are already hooked by the idea of having their life experience "officially" recognized, especially if they don't have to wait for the degree to be issued and don't need to attend classes. But there are other tip-offs, too, that an email offer of a degree isn't everything it's cracked up to be.
Topping the list, perhaps, is the ever-present offer of a degree in exchange for a one-time fee. Legitimate online colleges and universities charge by the credit hour, reminds the FTC, and not by the degree. Furthermore, an instant degree offer made through an unsolicited email or online pop-ups is almost certainly a scam. Finally, be on the lookout for imitative names. While not always a dead giveaway - some search engine marketers legitimately target common misspellings of a university's name - diploma mills like to use names that intentionally mimic the names of famous colleges and universities, a tactic that goes so far as to offer on-the-spot degrees from universities with foreign-sounding names that seem both persuasive and credible.
About the Author
Matt Paolini works from home as a distance learner. Visit University of Pheonix or University of Pheonix online degrees for free distance learning info.
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