Diplomas faked on the Net worry some universities

By Marcella Fleming
Indianapolis Star

The Internet began as an electronic link between universities. Now, the World Wide Web is coming back to bite the hands that made it — by peddling phony college credentials.

For a fraction of a year's tuition, you can obtain diplomas, transcripts and letters of reference — all without cracking a book.

Some Web-based companies brag about how authentic their certificates look, all the while carrying the disclaimer "For entertainment purposes only."

But officials at several universities aren't amused.

They've told Web-based merchants such as www.fakedegrees.com to stop producing phony diplomas, transcripts of coursework and grades, and other such products that mentioned their schools.

"What's the harm?" asked Tom Bilger, who is the registrar at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. "Somebody makes up a degree and now works in a nursing home." And, he said, "they're taking a job from a qualified person."

Depending on the Web site, you can get fake diplomas from real colleges, made-up colleges or colleges that exist only as post office boxes. Some advertise their wares as novelty gift items. Others push them as resume enhancers.

John Bear, a nationally known author who researches and writes about diploma mills, estimates there are 500 different company names but says most are run by roughly the same 100 or so people. He conservatively estimates that diploma mills are a $250 million-a-year-industry. "It's this incredible, insidious thing," he said.

Although an Internet search will turn up dozens of Web sites for anyone seeking a synthetic sheepskin, some send out unsolicited e-mails en masse.

"They'll say, 'You have qualified for a prestigious diploma,'" Bear said. "I have a Harvard M.D. on my wall; cost me $50."

Phony diplomas aren't new — experts trace them to at least the 19th century. A traditional diploma mill sells a false certificate for a few thousand dollars, but the newer cyber-breed diplomas are sold for far less.

Fakedegrees.com, for example, requires a $75 "membership" to construct phony diplomas.

Finding exactly where to aim complaints at the dozens of Web-based diploma mills is difficult, say college officials.

Fakedegrees.com is reportedly based in Spain. The company could not be reached for comment. Calls to degrees-r-us.com (www.degrees-r-us.com) are routed to voicemail.

In some states higher education officials are pushing state lawmakers to criminalize trafficking in bogus degrees.

Colleges, however, often pursue counterfeiters themselves — as did Purdue University.

Last school year, Purdue told fakedegrees.com to pull all references to the school from its menu, said university vice president Joseph L. Bennett.

But about a month ago, Purdue references remained posted.

So Bennett e-mailed the site.

"I quickly got another response that said, 'Sorry, we meant to take everything down.' I'll be following up on this every month."