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Checking a certificate

Certificate verification: check any certificate without taking its word for it

There is a certificate on your screen with a helpful line at the bottom: scan here to verify. Don't. A certificate cannot vouch for itself: its "verify" link can lead to a page the forger controls. Here is what to copy, what to ignore and who to ask.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

First, ignore the bottom line

Say you're hiring a bookkeeper, and her certificate arrives as a PDF the night before she starts. A crest, a signature, a number, a seal. Along the bottom: "Verify this award online", a web address and a QR code.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

It is the most reassuring line on the page, and the one not to use: whoever prints a link can also run the page it opens.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

An employers' toolkit from Hedd, the UK's official degree verification service, describes a copycat university whose transcripts sent employers to its own site, where a "search profile" button showed the student's details. "The employer thinks they have verified the applicant."

The lesson: a certificate can tell you who to ask, never how to reach them.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

Lead, lure or scenery: a certificate, line by line

Every line on a certificate is a lead, a fact you carry to the issuer; a lure, a route it offers you; or scenery, decoration anyone can print.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

On the certificateWhat it isWhat to do with it
The issuer: a university, regulator or awarding bodyLeadNote the exact name.
The holder's name, the award, the dateLeadWhat you ask the issuer to confirm.
A certificate number or credential IDLeadUse it only in the issuer's own check.
"Verify at" and a web addressLureDon't click it, don't type it.
A QR codeLureYou can't read it by eye, and one tap opens it.
A phone number or email address "for verification"LureA forger's line answers to the forger.
Crest, seal, hologram, signature, accreditation logosSceneryIgnore them. Printing is cheap.

Carry the leads home: certificate verification, step by step

To check if a certificate is genuine, copy the leads onto a sheet like this, then close it. Everything from here works without it.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌⁠

Issuer, exact name: …
Holder, award and date: …
Number or credential ID: …
Where I found the issuer: …

These find the issuer without the certificate's help; the table further down shows where the check happens.

  • A UK university: GOV.UK's guide to degree-awarding bodies.
  • A US college: DAPIP, the US Department of Education's database of accredited institutions.
  • A university elsewhere: its ENIC-NARIC centre, the national information centre on recognition, where there is one; or the education ministry's own site.
  • Any other awarding body: the regulator, trade body or employer that sets the requirement.

  1. The issuer's name: find them yourself

    Use these routes, never a search result alone: copycats build lookalike sites. Search the name in our tool for official warning lists, and paste the university's web address into the verification trap check.

    For the bookkeeper, you set the requirement: start from the accountancy body named in your own advert, at the site you found when you wrote it, not the one on her PDF. Missing from its member register is not proof of a fake.

    If the issuer should be on an official list and isn't, treat the award as unconfirmed until the official body says otherwise.

  2. The number: only in the issuer's own check

    On the issuer's website, find how it lets you verify a certificate: a register, a lookup, a records office, or a partner the issuer's page sends you to. Only then type in the number.

  3. The holder, award and date: ask the issuer to confirm them

    No instant lookup? Write to the issuer at an address from its own website, with the holder's consent (our consent wording for employers adapts easily).

    "Dear Registry team, I am confirming a qualification for [a job, a tenancy]. [Full name, and any former name], born [date of birth], says you awarded them [title] on [date], number [number]. Their signed consent is attached. Do your records show this award and, if not, what differs?"

    "What differs" turns a yes-or-no into an answer you can act on.

Where each kind of certificate goes home

What you hold, and who confirms itWhere your leads go
A degree: the universityHedd (UK), the National Student Clearinghouse (US), My eQuals (Australia, New Zealand) or the registrar
A licence to practise: the regulator, not the training providerIts public register, such as the NMC register (UK nurses, midwives) or the Solicitors Register (England, Wales)
A language test result: the test ownerIts results check, such as the IELTS Results Service
A professional or training certificate: the body that awarded itIts credential lookup or member register
A digital badge: the organisation named as issuerThe platform named on its own website, as on the ACFE's badge page
An OpenCerts file, a tamper-evident certificate from Singapore's open-source system: the issueropencerts.io, which checks the file is unchanged, who issued it and whether it is revoked

For regulated work, the register outranks any certificate. And in digital credential verification, printouts don't count: My eQuals and OpenCerts both say so.

Lead, lure or scenery? Four lines that fool people

Decide which each one is before you open it.

The printed "verify at" address is the issuer's real website.

Still a lure, if a harmless one: use the address you found. Forgers rely on near-misses that look identical at a glance.

The bookkeeper's email signature shows a badge with "verified" across it.

Scenery. A picture of a badge is not the badge, so ask her for the link. Use it only if its web address matches the platform the issuer's own site names; if in doubt, look her up on that platform yourself.

A PDF with a banner that says "digitally signed" or "blockchain verified".

Scenery, until it passes the official verifier its issuer names, such as opencerts.io for OpenCerts files. A valid file can be copied, so check the named recipient is the person in front of you. And signed is not the same as recognised.

An apostille or government stamp attached to the certificate.

Scenery, as far as the award goes. GOV.UK says the Legalisation Office checks whether signatures, stamps or seals match its records. It vouches for a signature, not the study behind it.

When the issuer answers

Only the issuer's reply counts as evidence. Everything else is the certificate talking.

It matches. Check it is this person: names are shared, as the NMC's register warns, so match the PIN or registration number too.

No record. Not proof of a fake: names change, and old records sit in archives. Hedd notes that a "cancelled" result "does not necessarily mean that the individual does not hold the qualification claimed".

Issuer closed or merged? Ask the education ministry or regulator which organisation now holds its records. For UK providers, Hedd's institution search shows who holds them, where that is known (see its FAQs). More in if your university closed or merged.

Nearly. Say the body has the bookkeeper qualifying a year later. Ask her kindly: honest mistakes happen. But altering a genuine certificate and presenting it as real is fraud under UK law, Hedd's toolkit warns.

It doesn't check out. Get the issuer's answer in writing before raising it, and never let the holder's explanation outrank the issuer's record.

Keep the certificate, the written answer and a note of what you did: Hedd's toolkit advises keeping records of fraud cases and any action taken. Then tell the issuer, whose name is being misused, or the regulator for a licence.

In the UK, report degree fraud to Hedd through its contact page; other fraud goes to Report Fraud (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland, as the NCSC explains. Our employers' guide covers what to do if you find a fake.

No consent? Then the award stays unverified.

And the bookkeeper? Say her accountancy body's register shows her name and number, and her badge opens on the platform its site names. You never needed the QR code.

Lead, lure, scenery, in one line. A certificate is a claim; the issuer's record is the evidence. Copy the leads, ignore the rest, and reach the issuer by a road the certificate did not build.

Sources

Check it before you trust it. The free tools in the Fake Degree Lab look at a CV, a school's website, a message or a "verification" service and show the warning signs, with links to the official registers.

Open the Fake Degree Lab

#CertificateVerification #DegreeVerification #DigitalCredentials #FakeCertificates #HiringChecks

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