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A fake qualification is generally easier to spot than one that has been bought. Qualification fraud is on the rise and it has been exposed in the media with a number of recent high profile South Africans who have been caught faking their qualifications.
According to EMPS, South Africa’s oldest screening and vetting company, 7,6% of qualifications submitted for verification in the first quarter of 2015 are unverifiable. In some instances the qualifications cannot be verified as the institutions have long since ceased to exist. In other instances the institutions have not kept accurate records which created issues. Companies that have world class risk management strategies have instituted robust screening policies which forces the discipline of thorough background checks which includes a verification of the authenticity of academic achievements,
Kirsten Halcrow, the Managing Director of EMPS has uncovered a new phenomenon which takes the sophistication of CV fraud to an entirely new level which is generally more difficult to detect. Commonly known as a ‘Diploma Mill ‘ which manufactures degrees, masters and doctorates which can be bought online from websites. The sales pitch convinces applicants that their years of experience is worth a degree and they enter into a transaction to buy a qualification. It appears that in some instances , the candidate is genuinely convinced that they are entitled to the accreditation. The architecture is then elaborately set up to support the lie as clients appear on the online graduate database.
For an average cost of 200 Dollars , the newly qualified students are assured that dedicated call centres are on hand to confirm attendance and graduation if any suspicious prospective employer was to make contact. The websites are also designed to give a veneer of authenticity and academic gravitas.
Not satisfied with claiming a diploma, many candidates are now purchasing Masters degrees and Doctorates
It is increasingly difficult to weed out the fraud as the call centres and websites are purpose built to support the charade
The current socio-economic environment in SA and abroad has led to a situation of high levels of unemployment. The need for skills has also put a premium on salaries of trained workers which creates an active and dynamic market for this very special kind of fraud
Kirsten Halcrow has the following advice for employers; Companies are going to need to be more vigilant and aware. There are certain tell-tale signs you are dealing with a certificate issued by a diploma mill; when verifying these certificates, the institutions are generally situated in remote locations . Find out who the accreditation body is in the place of issue and determine if the institution is accredited. Be careful as many of these mills provide a means to authenticate their own certificates. Check all the applicants qualifications as some make the mistake of skipping the degree and go straight for their Masters, which isn’t possible with a good, accredited institution. Also check the dates and make sure they stack up
Earning a diploma can take years, but some people simply don’t have the time. For that reason, companies have been cropping up year after year offering consumers the chance to obtain a diploma, degree or certification in exchange for hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of dollars. South African employers need to be more vigilant and adapt screening processes to make sure they don’t hire someone who has paid for their degree.
