Fake College Capital of the World - United States

Reports indicate that 810 diploma mills have been identified in the US and there are many more still under investigation.

California is the leading state with 134 diploma mills, followed closely by Hawaii and Washington state.

The report is a result of an 18 month international research project into diploma and accreditation mills.

The focus of the report was to provide employers with valid information about applicants' education to support them in hiring qualified candidates. The ability to spot a diploma mill helps companies avoid potential liability when clearing an applicant with a bogus degree.

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Bogus Diplomas, Fake Institutions

Diploma mills have popped up all over the internet and their prevalence is becoming more widely known. But just like loopholes in drug testing, diploma mills have become better and better at going undetected to even the most astute eye.

Alan Contreras of the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization estimates there are nearly 700 diploma mill companies or organizations that operate in the US and nearly 3,000 worldwide. "All these degree mills issue thousands of bogus degrees every year...so there are tens of thousands of people out there who are using bogus degrees." (HR Magazine, Sept, 08).

It is important for employers to understand that even the most polished looking credentials can be fraudulent, and that there are tools available to detect them. Liberty uses clues to help spot questionable credentials on resume or application, including spotting out-of-sequence degrees, degrees earned in a short period of time, and the sneaky trick of institutions that sound like the real deal using a similar name the well-known variety.

Hiring the wrong person with the wrong credentials for a job can be very costly and time consuming so it's important not to gloss over the steps needed to take a candidate seriously, and that includes verifying their education claims with a tooth-comb and ensuring the institution is legitimate.

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