What you really get when you buy a university degree: paper, and no record

Picture the envelope

Say you paid. A few days later, a stiff card envelope lands on the mat with "Please do not bend" across the front.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠

Inside, it all looks right: heavy paper, a crest, two signatures and a slim folder holding a transcript.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠

Item 1: the certificate, with a crest and an embossed seal

What it is: a print. Hedd, the UK's official degree verification service, says it plainly in its degree fraud toolkit for employers (linked from its home page): good paper, foil and watermarks count for less once a forger has the same technology.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠

In law: using one, knowing it is false, to get an employer to accept it and act on it, for example by giving you the job, is an offence under section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Other laws and countries: what a fake degree can cost.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠

Item 2: the transcript, with grades and a grade point average

What it is: a list of modules nobody taught. An official transcript usually goes from the registrar, or a secure service such as the National Student Clearinghouse, straight to whoever asked.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠

Item 3: a "verification letter", with a phone line and website for employers

What it is: a reference the seller wrote for itself. A careful checker ignores those contacts and finds the university on their own: through the official register first, then the registrar's details on the university's own website.

The verification check shows whether a "verification" website or email really belongs to the university.

Item 4: a certificate of accreditation, with a gold border

What it is: proof that someone owns a printer. Recognition is an entry on an official list, never a document a school hands out.

Go to the list itself. GOV.UK shows how in the UK, including the OfS Register for England; in the US, search DAPIP, then check the accreditor too.

Item 5, if the seller added one: an apostille stamp

What it is: a check on a signature, not on a degree. Under the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille does not vouch for what a document says.

So an apostille on a seller's certificate tells an employer nothing about the degree: the check still goes to the university's record.

You can buy the paper. You can't buy a university degree

At a real university, the record comes first: you enrol, you are assessed, the degree goes on file, and every certificate and transcript is printed from it. When you buy a degree certificate, you buy the printout without the record.

Is a bought degree real, then? The paper is real paper. The degree is not, because no recognised university has you on its books.

And checkers read the books: Hedd confirms place of study, award, grade and dates, and a National Student Clearinghouse verification comes with no copy of the degree at all.

That is why "passes any verification", the seller's favourite promise, cannot be kept. A fake degree certificate has nothing on file to pass.

"Nobody checks": the bet sealed inside

The seller's whole promise rests on one bet: that nobody will ever ask. Some employers never do. But you don't choose who checks, or when. Picture the postmarks a check could arrive under:

• Day oneA screening firm
• Year threeA new employer
• Year fiveA professional body
• Year eightA visa application

Most start with a consent form, not your certificate. Even a checker who asks for the paper checks it against the record. Hedd, for one, needs proof of your consent before it asks the university. There is no box on that form for "I have the paper here". More in when employers really check.

The real envelope is thinner

Wrong address: what to send for instead

• Wanted a way past "degree required".
  Send for a straight answer on whether the rule is firm, using the reply below.
• Wanted a promotion.
  Send for your employer's backing for part-time study. In England, a degree apprenticeship is a paid job with study at bachelor's or master's level.
• Wanted your years of experience to count.
  Send for an assessment of prior learning: in the UK, from each university's admissions office; in the US, a portfolio or credit by exam such as CLEP. Each university decides what counts.
• Wanted a licensed job.
  Send for the regulator's own route in, found through the UK's Regulated Professions Register.
• Wanted a visa.
  Send for the immigration authority's own guidance, before you apply: which qualifications it accepts, and how it checks them. In the UK, start from GOV.UK's guidance for your visa route.
• Wanted recognition for a real degree from abroad.
  Send for a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability in the UK. Elsewhere, ask the ENIC-NARIC centre of the country where you want it recognised, if it has one, or that country's education ministry.

Write back instead: three honest lines for your CV

• Started, didn't finish: "BSc [subject], [university]: [first and second] years completed, [start year] to [end year]".
  In the UK, ask your old university whether your credits earned an exit award, such as a Certificate or Diploma of Higher Education. If they did, that is a real qualification for this line.
• Studying now: "MSc [subject], [university]: part-time, in progress, expected [month and year]"
• No degree: a "Professional development" heading with "[course], [awarding body], [year]", after a work history that leads with results

If a recruiter asks, send a reply like this:

Dear [name],

I don't hold a degree. I've spent [number] years doing [the core task in your advert], including [one result you can measure]. If the degree is a preference rather than a firm requirement, I'd welcome the chance to show you at interview.

[Your name]

Already paid? The envelope has one honest use

1. Keep it, with the receipts and messages, as evidence.
2. Ask your bank or card provider straight away whether the payment can be disputed.
3. Report the seller:
   • UK: Hedd, whose contact page takes reports of bogus institutions and degree fraud.
   • England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Report Fraud, the route the NCSC names for fraud there. Scotland: Police Scotland.
   • US: the FTC, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Already put it on a CV or an application? Take it off every CV and profile now, and from here on leave the paper in the drawer.

If it helped you get a job or a visa, speak to a solicitor or lawyer about how to put it right, before you contact the employer or the visa authority. Then read what lying about a degree can lead to and the steps for job seekers.

Earn the degree, and one day a real envelope will land on the mat. It may look plainer than the fake. It doesn't matter: the weight is in the record.

Sources

• Hedd: what it verifies, proof of consent and its degree fraud toolkit for employers; its contact page for reporting degree fraud
• National Student Clearinghouse: Verify Now and Transcript Services
• My eQuals: Document Verification
• Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, section 3 and section 10 (what counts as prejudice)
• GOV.UK: Check if your university can award a degree and the OfS Register
• US Department of Education: DAPIP
• HCCH: Outline of the Apostille Convention: what an apostille certifies, and registers for verifying one
• GOV.UK: Become an apprentice and College Board: Colleges' CLEP Policies
• QAA: Qualifications Frameworks and the Frameworks document (PDF): exit qualifications, the CertHE (level 4) and the DipHE (level 5)
• GOV.UK: Visas and immigration
• Regulated Professions Register, UK ENIC: Statement of Comparability and the ENIC-NARIC Networks
• NCSC: Report a scam email: Report Fraud for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Police Scotland in Scotland; Report Fraud; FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Also worth reading

• How to check if a degree is real (the certificate won't tell you)

#FakeDegrees #DegreeCertificate #DegreeVerification #DiplomaMills #CareerAdvice