The $7 Billion Fake Diploma Industry: How Online Reviews Play a Part
Fake diplomas are used to boost self-esteem or if you wish to feel like you are behind your friends and colleagues who have pursued higher education to get professional diplomas. However, be careful.
The company that claims to provide verification of their degrees must have a valid mailing address. An address with a PO Box or a random address could be a red flag.
Online Reviews
It is difficult to tell the difference between real and fake qualifications in the digital age. Human resources professionals may conduct background checks online on potential candidates, and these can include an education background check. If an employer discovers that the candidate has fake degrees it could be a challenge to re-enter the job.
One way to spot fake degrees is by looking at the certificate itself. False certificates usually have elaborate gothic designs intended to evoke an aesthetic of tradition, pomp and awe. They could also utilize words that sound like something like something from the pages of a Canterbury story or a Shakespeare play. They may use phrases like “Cum Laude”, or “with Honors”. Real universities rarely employ these kinds of terms.
It’s also important to examine a school’s website. Some fake schools advertise using pop-up ads, spam and high-pressure sales techniques. True universities will be less aggressive in their marketing, especially when it comes to paying or borrowing loans.
Allen Ezell is a retired FBI Agent who was the director of Operation Diploma Scam, an agency-led program that was launched in the year 1991. He is now a writer for Forbes about the global market for fake diplomas and transcripts. He says he’s seen individuals purchase fake degrees to enhance their career or gain economic advantage. There’s even an American who purchased a fake bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering and is employed in the control room of a power plant.
Fake reviews: What do they say about you
Fake reviews can have a profound impact on consumers’ perceptions and the purchase decisions of products. They can be positive or negative, however in either case they can affect a company’s reputation. In addition, they can distort market research and weaken the credibility of reviews on products posted online. In addition false reviews could cause information asymmetry between customers and companies and result in unprofessional business practices.
There has been several studies conducted on the impact of fake reviews on consumer decisions and choices. Researchers have discovered, for example, that people are less likely than usual to purchase a product if reviews are clearly fake. However, this isn’t consistent across the different types of products.
The research findings indicate that there is a variety of potential interventions to reduce the effects of fake reviews. One method to lessen the impact of fake reviews is to educate customers on how to identify them. Another option is to motivate platforms to investigate fake reviews when they are reported. Also, it is possible to offer incentives to companies to get them to remove fake comments from their websites.
There are also a myriad of indicators to tell the authenticity of a review or not. For example, if the review is filled with exclamation marks which could signal the presence of a fake or exuberant tone. Exclamation marks are used to convey heightened emotions in social media or messaging apps. Review writing in a manner that’s not natural, like excessive capitalization or abbreviations, can be a warning indicator.
The credibility of fake degrees
A lot of fake degrees have official components like seals, crests or seals, and Holograms. They are designed to enhance the authenticity of a document. They can also contain details like signatures of registrars as well as certificates numbers, among other information to ensure that the document appears authentic. This is especially useful if the person is presenting their fake degree to a corporation to verify their authenticity.
It is often difficult to discern the difference between a real degree or fake, especially when they’re earned overseas. Certain real universities have partnerships with bogus institutions overseas It is difficult to know whether the person’s educational history has been updated since mergers, name changes, or other branding changes.
Another warning sign is that work or life experience is enough to earn one the right to earn a degree. A legitimate college will credit students for their academic accomplishments, but won’t award an education solely on these achievements.
Additionally, it’s crucial to know that there are many protections for both in the digital world and in real life that real universities employ to stop fraud of this sort. If someone is caught with false credentials and is found to be fraudulent, they’ll be banned from attending any university at any time in the future. Additionally, their chances of getting a job will be affected as well. So, it’s not wise to use fake degrees for anything other than recreation and novelty purposes. It is essential to use only legitimate companies that offer fake degrees and transcripts.
SEO and Fake Degree Websites
Fake degrees have been a problem, but the Internet has significantly facilitated their spread. The demand for these certificates has never been greater however the supply side of the equation is also on the rise. A lot of fake universities are situated in Europe, and they specialize in attracting Middle Eastern students. It is an extremely lucrative business.
They are typically not easily identifiable by employers searching for credentials, particularly when the degree was earned online. The legitimacy of online degrees can typically be verified, however it’s usually the individual student or potential employee to do this.
The fake degrees are generally advertised by websites advertising their services as universities, and they go to extreme efforts to give the impression of authenticity. They often provide photos of faculty and students as well as claims to have the accreditation of recognized organisations. There are some that have logos which looks similar to the seal of a particular university.
Eaton and Ezell, experts in the field of education, warn that it’s difficult to screen out fake diplomas and crack down on this kind of business. It is difficult to keep blacklists current, since the fraudsters frequently change their names and Internet domains. The blacklists do suggest that employers contact a reputable educational institution in the US that would be Department of Education.
