People with fake degrees to be prosecuted

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have both vowed to prosecute people who use fake degrees purporting to have been issued by their institutions.

Bought from so-called degree mills in the US and the UK, virtually any degree, ranging from a bachelor's degree to a doctorate, can be purchased for between US$200 and US$500.

Professor Aart Boessenkool of the University of Johannesburg said the institution had recently become aware of the fact that their degrees were being falsified and sold over the internet.

"To ensure the continued integrity of our degrees and diplomas, we have joined forces with the Stellenbosch-based degree verification service company QVS (Qualification Verification Services), which can instantly detect whether a degree is genuine or fake.

"In the event of it being fake, we will definitely prosecute the individual for fraud and for bringing the good name of UJ into disrepute."

Boessenkool said most degree mills covered themselves legally by referring to their fakes as "novelty" degrees - usually in small print.

The fact that they also offered a fax verification service was a clear indication, however, that the object was to fool prospective employers into believing the degree was real.

"To honest-minded people, this may be nothing more than a novelty - perhaps something to hang on the pub wall as a joke.

"Criminals and dishonest job applicants, however, do in fact use these fake degrees to obtain high-paying jobs or to impress business associates," he said.

Qualifications

On one of these degree mill websites, it is stated: "When we receive a fax requesting verification of your academic record, we will respond with a custom confirmation letter as well as a copy of your academic transcript (if applicable) in the same way an actual college or university registrar department would."

Recently a mass email sent to large numbers of South African email addresses offered a bachelor's, master's, MBA and/or doctorate (PhD) degrees "24 hours a day, seven days a week". The emails usually included a toll-free number and promised that "no one will be turned down".

UCT registrar Hugh Amoore said he was aware that UCT "degrees" were being sold over the internet and warned prospective employers to verify every UCT degree either with the university directly or through a qualifications verification service.

"It is a worldwide problem and not only South African universities are being targeted by these degree mills," he said, adding that it was policy to prosecute people who used fake degrees purporting to come from UCT.

Danie Strydom, managing director of Stellenbosch-based qualifications verification services company QVS, said a growing number of "degrees" and "diplomas" issued by non-accredited institutions were being discovered during the qualifications verification process when prospective employers verified the credentials of applicants.

He added that the lure of big money had become a powerful magnet for many desperate unemployed people who wanted to take the quick and easy route.

Strydom's company offered a verification service for seven major tertiary institutions, with several more to come in 2011.

"The only fool-proof method is to verify the authenticity of the job applicant's degree or diploma during the vetting process. The QVS online procedure is fully electronic and the report is immediate.

"In addition to confirming whether the job seeker has attained the degree he or she lays claim to, we can also supply a transcript from member institutions showing which subjects the person has passed," Strydom added.


source:News24