As children, we were taught that the “ early bird gets the worm” and that the fable of the “ant and the grasshopper” is a good story that demonstrates how important having  a hard work ethic is for a successful life. Most of us are proud of our hard earned accomplishments and hang up university degrees and certificates on our walls. Unfortunately, we live in a world that values surfaces and the superficial, compelling people to “fake their way” and to present a false self without doing the work.  This is rampant in Academia and in the workforce. There are novelty diplomas you can purchase online and diploma mills pump out fake degrees ( university, college, highschool, basic courses) for cheaters, which takes away from the integrity and value that people put in.  A fake degree may be expensive but pales in comparison to the real cost of a degree and the hard work involved.

A high profile case in 2012 featured a fired CEO of Yahoo who added a fake Computer Science degree requirement that he didn’t have.  This was discovered by a third party investor company. It’s important for companies to investigate thoroughly the people they are going to hire, whether that is done through a screening software program or a background check company. This should be done every time to eliminate fraud and wasted energy and  time used for the hiring, training and fraud investigations of people they shouldn’t have hired. The use of an authenticated verified digital record and/or thorough background check would ensure that employers hire the people they should have in the first place. Make the right informed choice in your hiring and acceptance  processes. 

These degrees often look exactly like authenticated real degrees offered by higher level institutions and universities. How can you, as a prospective employer, distinguish between real degrees and the fake ones out there and save yourself money and time wasted on unqualified and disingenuous prospects?

Here are the ways:

Minute details make the difference. Usually there are printing marks on the paper since fraudsters often use cheap ink and printing methods. As well, the paper quality is often flimsy and of poor quality. The placement of text, especially for the words “University” or “College” are placed in the wrong place. There’s no watermark when held under bright light. The document is flat and not raised like the official seals should be. Things typically written in ink like the “Chancellor, Dean and Secretary” signatures are not and when ink is used the consistency of the colour is off. There are usually careless spelling mistakes for obvious things like student or bachelor. 

These are the minor glaring flaws in a fake diploma. Other main things include:

The certificate design itself. Fake degrees are often sold from foreign countries and are created by and for people outside of Academia. Hence, they may have a romantic idea about what a fancy university aesthetic should look like. Fake degrees often use ornate gothic styles to falsely engender an aesthetic feeling of “tradition, pomp and prestige.” In the real world, universities no longer use these outdated irrelevant  styles. Most contemporary fake certificates may use a real world contemporary template but some still use a traditional Old Ye English style. An example would be extreme calligraphy from the Canterbury University certificate.

The fake certificate uses language that is overly wrought, wordy, pompous and ponderous. Be wary if the certificate sounds straight out of Canterbury tales or a Shakespearean play. It’s likely fake. There’s also a specific use of Latin terminology uselessly. It’s usually “Cum Laude” in the US and in the UK, it’s “with honours.” In reality, UK universities haven’t used Latin in ten years, if not longer. There are Latin versions available but it’s usually only for mementos and for ceremonial display, rather than presented as verifiable certificates.  Fraudsters also order the words in the title oddly. Official diplomas and documents would never use casual or colloquial references to the university. While students may call the “ University of Toronto”  “U of T” as a short form, the title of a University would never be shortened on an official document: it will always have its formal name in print. 

The certificate itself: universities have added special security features to protect themselves from fraud and forgery and to ensure the integrity of their products. Fraudsters try to imitate this by utilizing their own version of souped up crests, seals and holograms. As a result, you must do research and compare insignias on certificates by seeking the real copy image on websites. You should also ask to see the real life copy of the degree and not just the photocopy version. The only sure fire way to avoid being conned is to check out the real life certificate. Like a Chanel bag or a Ming vase, there are minute details and the feeling of quality and luxury that differentiates the real from the fake. A university degree is no different. 

The university location may also be a good clue to its authenticity. Often, fake degrees include addresses along with its postal code. You can google search online what that postal code is and check out what comes up. Fraudsters often rent out old office buildings, car parks and even traffic roundabouts.  Another inconsistent detail may be the use of a PO Box in its address.The domain name used may be Ascension Island, which is popular because of its close approximation to its legitimate provider “ac.uk.”  Fake website providers  are being investigated by the National Fraud Investigation Bureau, who are out to shut down fake sites generated by Godaddy etc. In general, if it looks off or feels fishy, your gut is likely right and you’re dealing with a counterfeit. 

Lastly, in the UK you can use Hedd’s University database to check the legitimacy of titles and names on a certificate. Many universities in the UK have merged their institutions to form new ones and have new names: for example, in 2002, The London Metropolitan University became the conglomerate of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University. The aggregate university authentication database contains a family tree of all degree awarding bodies.

Educhain removes all such worry and suspicion. There’s no need for costly fraud investigations and can be a good supplement or a discerning first step to a classic background check. You can figure out very quickly, yes and no, if this person is legitimately who they say they are. Educhain provides a quick and easy way to verify and authenticate transcripts and other academic records while providing students and job seekers an instaneous way to share them. Skip the time consuming and tedious process of in person authentication and rely on the trusted blockchain. Educhain will help you find the real McCoy and the right person for your academic institution or job position.