Fake degrees have become a multi-billion dollar industry. The legal implications are unclear.
When universities investigate allegations of academic fraud, they usually form a team composed of professors who have subject matter knowledge. This is because academic fraud typically is a complicated and confusing field of study.
Legal Challenges
The federal government has taken the initiative to inform people about diploma mills and fake degree, but it is up the states to regulate the use of these. In some instances, even if someone isn’t in violation of any particular laws when they boast about their phony degree in some cases, they may put themselves in danger of legal liability by using legally protected terms that require licenses in their field, such as lawyer, doctor or a professional engineer.
Fake degrees pose a threat because they undermine the credibility of legitimate degrees that people have invested decades and tens of thousands of pounds earning. Fake degrees are also an issue for the general public as they permit professionals such as doctors and engineers to be hired with no qualifications or education.
Certain companies offer fake diplomas that look very real. They usually offer a selection of a degree and university, and some can be created in as little as five days. Other companies purport to offer a degree in accordance with an applicant’s personal experiences or previous work. It could pose a risk to people as it could cause fake certificates to be given in fields that could present health and safety risk and find out more info at https://lambang247.pro/.
Academic Fraud Prosecution
In the literature about academic fraud, it is believed that cheating is commonplace and is made worse because of the ease in cheating is possible online. In addition, most individuals believe that students adopt an instrumentalist approach to their education, and will employ every method necessary to earn a good grade.
Instructors need to know how to handle allegations of academic dishonesty. This includes the processes which must be followed in order for investigating them and pursue them in a manner that is fair and equitable.
The procedure should be developed to ensure that any investigation into the allegations will be conducted without bias by a team of experts with expertise in the field of study of the subject that is being investigated, and who do not have an relationship with the accused. The Standing Committee may appoint persons who are not affiliated with the University to the panel if it deems that this is required. This can help prevent conflicts of interest, where the investigatory process and resulting charges are biased towards the student being accused.
Jurisdictional Questions
For those who are able to pay the cost, fake degrees are readily available through various diploma mills. Some are based even within the United States.
Apart from being in violation of federal law, obtaining an unauthentic degree can be also a crime in the state. In many states, for example, it is illegal to claim falsely that a person has a degree that allows the person for a job that requires a licence. Human resource employees typically conduct background checks, which include checks of educational credentials.
The Internet has spawned an industry that is lucrative, selling fake transcripts, fake degrees and other academic documents. Experts believe that fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated.
Eaton states that creating a blacklist of fake schools and diploma mills is not easy, because fraudsters can easily change their name and Internet domains. She suggests that employers instead use a reputable agency to check credentials. The Oregon Office of Degree Authorization has, for instance, a list of accredited colleges and universities within the state. It also checks transcripts and conducts investigations of allegations of degree fraud.
Legislation to stop fake degrees
There is a clear need for more legal tools to take down on fake degrees. Verifile is a firm that provides information on fraudulent universities and accrediting organizations, claims that states that are “promiscuous” when it comes to regulation of education could lure fraudulent degree providers to their shores. According to the company, for every famous example, there are many ordinary people who also use fake degrees. The Seattle sheriff’s deputy who acquired a fake degree from a college to get a 2 percent pay raise is a prime instance. Also, the military officers enlisted in the army who bought diplomas from an unaccredited school in Spokane, Washington.
Ezell believes that state and federal authorities must take into consideration making it illegal for people to use fake diplomas in order to find a job or to enter a profession requiring licensure. This would also make diploma mills more visible to the forefront since they won’t be able to escape scrutinization any more than fake mortgage or credit card companies. But he adds that the responsibility for cracking down on fraud in the academic world must be shared by the individual as well as professional associations and police departments.