How do I spot a diploma mill?

It is often difficult to know whether a diploma is bona fide or bogus. Fake degrees and transcripts tend to look very much like documents issued by existing accredited institutions. If you take the trouble to look up an institution on the internet, keep an eye out for some common tell-tale signs that can help you spot a diploma mill:

• the address is a post office box, a suite number or a mail drop
• the phone number puts you through to a call centre, an answering machine or a mobile phone
• a sample copy of the degree is shown on the website
• you are offered a non-traditional education, credits for life experience, and the programmes are offered through distance learning.
• accreditation is claimed to come from an individual state in the US (Wyoming and Montana are popular), the government of a small island state in the Pacific or the Caribbean (e.g. St Kitts and Nevis), or from countries such as Liberia, where there is little or no government control in higher education
• the website offers no information about faculties, staff, study programmes, etc.
• your diploma can be tailor-made to your own requirements, may be back-dated, and may be awarded with the grade point average and distinction (e.g. cum laude) of your choice
• credit card logos and other payment options are shown on the website
• the name of the awarding “institution” strongly resembles that of a well-known, bona fide university, such as Columbia State University (as opposed to the real Columbia University), Cambridge International University (as opposed to the real University of Cambridge) and Trinity College and University (as opposed to the real Trinity College).