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Lying on a CV

Fired, sued or jailed: what really happens when you lie about your degree

Maybe it's one line, already sent: the degree you nearly finished, the 2:2 that became a 2:1. Now one question won't leave you alone: is it illegal to lie about your degree? Here is the answer, set out like a case.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

Is it illegal to lie about your degree? Read the charge

Nobody is charged with "lying on a CV". In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the charge would be fraud, and might read like this illustrative one:

Offence: fraud by false representation, contrary to sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.
Particulars: that you dishonestly made a false representation, namely that you held a degree, intending to make a gain for yourself, namely the salary that comes with the job.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

Read it as a test, not a verdict. Under section 2, and the courts' test for dishonesty, a prosecutor needs four yeses:

  1. Was it untrue or misleading? In words, on a form, or in an impression you let stand.
  2. Did you know it was, or might be? A typo isn't fraud. A choice is different.
  3. Was it dishonest? By the standards of ordinary decent people, not your own.
  4. Did you mean to gain from it, or cause someone a loss? The salary, the pay rise.

Scotland has no Fraud Act, but fraud is a common-law crime there: a false pretence that brings about a definite practical result.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

So can you get in trouble? Yes: it can be a crime, and even without a charge it can cost you the job. Whether a prosecutor would bother is a poor thing to bet a career on.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

The defence: six things people say, and the rulings

Six excuses, each tested against the four questions:

"Everyone rounds up a bit."

Ruling: no defence (question 3). A 2:2 written as a 2:1 is untrue, you knew it, and ordinary decent people would call it dishonest. And through Hedd, a UK employer can confirm your grade, with your consent.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

"I never said I graduated. I just listed the university."

Ruling: depends what you meant them to think (question 1). A representation can be implied, and the CPS notes one can be made by leaving something off an application form. Three words fix it: "did not complete".⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​⁠

"I didn't even get the job."

Ruling: no defence (question 4). The offence is in the intention: in the CPS's words, no gain or loss needs actually to have been made. In Scotland, a lie that fails can still be attempted fraud.

"I did the job brilliantly."

Ruling: no defence (none of the four questions asks). In a CV fraud case that reached the UK Supreme Court, a chief executive appraised as strong or outstanding still pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to prison.

"I paid for that degree. I thought it was real."

Ruling: it can count, once (question 2). If a seller truly fooled you, what you knew matters, under the Fraud Act and under "knowingly" laws in the US. Once you know, every further use is a knowing one.

"It was only my CV. I didn't sign anything."

Ruling: no defence (question 1). The CPS says a representation can be made in any way. And signatures come later, on forms such as the US Declaration for Federal Employment.

Final tally: four fail outright, one depends on what you meant, and one works only until you know the truth.

Fired, sued or jailed: three hearings, not one

One discovery can lead to all three. For that chief executive, years after he was hired, the job ended, then came a prison sentence, then a confiscation order.

Hearing one: the disciplinary meeting

Say you've been in the post a while, having claimed a 2:1 you never got. A promotion brings a fresh check, and an email arrives with "investigation" in the subject line.

No court needed. The Acas Code, which employment tribunals take into account, says acts such as fraud may justify dismissal without notice for a first offence, after a fair process.

If it gets that far, you have a right to bring a colleague or a trade union representative to the meeting.

An offer made subject to checks can be withdrawn if they fail. For US federal jobs, the declaration warns that a false statement "may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work".

Hearing two: the criminal court

This is the room the charge above was written for.

WhereWhat the law asks
England, Wales, Northern IrelandA dishonest lie, told to gain? (Fraud Act 2006) Up to ten years at worst.
TexasKnowingly claimed a fake or never-granted degree for a job? (§32.52) Class B misdemeanor.
WashingtonKnowingly used a false credential, or claimed an accredited degree you lack? (RCW 9A.60.070) Gross misdemeanor.
OregonClaimed a degree no accredited or approved school awarded you? (ORS 348.609) Class B misdemeanor.
US federalKnowingly and wilfully lied in a federal matter? (18 U.S.C. §1001) A fine, prison or both.

Elsewhere in the US, each state has its own law, and §1001 covers only federal matters.

A forged certificate is a separate offence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981). Other countries: what a fake degree can cost.

Hearing three: the money

After a conviction, a court can also make you give up what the lie gained you, in England and Wales through a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

How much? The Supreme Court's answer was a middle way: take the difference between what the lie earned and what you would have earned without it.

Where the work itself was illegal without the qualification, as with an unqualified surgeon, taking all the net earnings would not be disproportionate, says the court's summary.

And sued? A criminal court can also order compensation for an employer's loss, though in that case the Supreme Court ruled that none should be made, as there was no clear evidence of loss. In Oregon, the state can also sue over a false degree claim and impose civil penalties.

General information, not legal advice. Laws vary and change, and every case turns on its facts. If a false claim is already in use, see a solicitor or lawyer first.

Before it gets that far: you are here

Find your row. Each has a way out that beats waiting to be found out.

Where you areDo this first
Tempted, nothing sentWrite the true line. If the lie was covering a gap, read why the gap isn't the problem.
Sent, no offer yetCorrect it in writing before the next stage, with a corrected CV (test the line in the CV check).
Offer accepted, checks pendingTell HR yourself, in writing, before the check comes back. Worried? Get advice, then send it.
In the job, or used for a visa or licenceAdvice first: a solicitor, Acas in England, Scotland and Wales, the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland, or affordable legal aid in the US.
Bought from a sellerStop using it, keep the receipts and report the seller: Report Fraud or Police Scotland in the UK (NCSC advice), or the FTC's ReportFraud in the US.
Bought, and already used itTake advice first (see "In the job, or used for a visa or licence"), then report the seller.

Not in the job yet, with no visa or licence involved? Check your exact award on your transcript or award letter first, then send this:

"Before we go further, I need to correct my application. It says I hold [a degree in (subject) / a 2:1] from [university]. In fact, [I studied there but did not complete the degree / I was awarded a 2:2]. A corrected CV is attached, and I'm happy to talk it through."

If the lie covered a degree you never finished, the honest fix is often to finish it. Universities decide admission and credit for past study; our admissions service can help you apply.

The true line is the only one on a CV that can never be found out.

Sources

Want a degree that holds up? Our admissions service helps working adults apply to university in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, choosing only universities that are officially recognised. If no university on your shortlist offers you a place, we refund our fee in full.

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