There are literally hundreds of online schools that offer legitimate online courses, degrees, and diplomas. Unfortunately, however, there is also a big bucket full of diploma mills, and outright fakes. These fake schools claim to be accredited. The agency giving them accreditation is usually just as phony as the degree or diploma they are selling.

I am sure that getting a quick diploma may be tempting to some people. Really, what could be better than just paying $200 or $300 getting the diploma, and that’s it. You would have to take no classes, no labs, no tests, and no credit requirements. It’s a “no brainer”, literally.

Are you aware that these diploma mills are well known and easily found out? If you attempt to get a good job, or enter college with one of these fake diplomas, you are taking a huge risk. Apart from the embarrassment of getting your fraud discovered, you may actually be committing a crime. You are committing fraud, and if I was an employer, or school being defrauded by someone with fake credentials, I would definitely prosecute you in court. Of course, I would immediately fire you or expel you from my college.

I have a Master’s Degree from a legitimate online university. I can tell you honestly, that I worked my butt off for that piece of paper. Virtually every assignment in every class was an essay, or long major paper. The program was writing intensive, and quite challenging for me. I was “forced” to speak in online classroom discussions. My scores depended on participation. There was no nodding in the back of a huge lecture hall.

I have little sympathy for someone who tries to take a short cut to their diploma or degree. You may get that piece of paper, but let’s face it. You also need the knowledge. You are only cheating yourself.

Here is an something interesting. The Spokesman Review, of Spokane, Washington ran an article in Sept. 09 publicly listing the names of people who got phony diplomas, and degrees from diploma mills. This is a list you definitely want to avoid.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Accredited-Online-High-School-Diploma-Fake-School-Alert&id=2881306

The Washington State Patrol came to a preliminary decision that eight WSP troopers should be fired for their involvement in a diploma scam. The troopers in question all provided fake diplomas to the state in order to claim pay raises, and were later discovered to not have attained the diplomas legally.
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The recommendation for the firings came from an internal investigation into the case. WSP spokesman Bob Calkins stated that the internal investigation was just the first step in the case, and that the troopers will now have the opportunity to challenge the facts of the case and appeal the proposed disciplinary actions.
At the heart of this case was the discovery that 10 WSP troopers had attained fake diplomas through a third party, and applied for raises using those diplomas as the reasoning. The reason it comes into question, is because WSP troopers can boost their pay by 2 percent if they attain a two-year degree, or increase it by 4 percent by attaining a four-year degree. The troopers have only been accused of these actions to this point, and will still have their day in court to defend their actions and the allegations brought against them. Two of the troopers have already resigned from their positions, leaving the pending decision to affect the remaining eight accused of the indiscretions.
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The reason that people even found out about the fake diplomas was that a federal investigation within Spokane, Washington had led to the discovery of a diploma mill. The diploma mill was shut down, but it was discovered that several Washington State Patrolmen allegedly used the diploma mill themselves, by purchasing degrees they had not earned.
The Washington State Patrol came to a preliminary decision that eight WSP troopers should be fired for their involvement in a diploma scam. The troopers in question all provided fake diplomas to the state in order to claim pay raises, and were later discovered to not have attained the diplomas legally.
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The recommendation for the firings came from an internal investigation into the case. WSP spokesman Bob Calkins stated that the internal investigation was just the first step in the case, and that the troopers will now have the opportunity to challenge the facts of the case and appeal the proposed disciplinary actions.
At the heart of this case was the discovery that 10 WSP troopers had attained fake diplomas through a third party, and applied for raises using those diplomas as the reasoning. The reason it comes into question, is because WSP troopers can boost their pay by 2 percent if they attain a two-year degree, or increase it by 4 percent by attaining a four-year degree. The troopers have only been accused of these actions to this point, and will still have their day in court to defend their actions and the allegations brought against them. Two of the troopers have already resigned from their positions, leaving the pending decision to affect the remaining eight accused of the indiscretions.
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source: http://www.examiner.com/x-7460-Spokane-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m8d5-Washington-State-Patrol-recommends-firing-troopers-involved-in-diploma-scam

More than 180 people from across the Gulf have been blacklisted for holding fake US academic certificates allegedly bought from non-accredited institutions, including 69 from Saudi Arabia and 68 from the UAE.

Almost 10,000 people in total have been blacklisted by the US Department of Justice for purchasing fake high school and college degrees from a “degree mill” based in Washington.

According to reports, those named include hundreds of people with links to the US military, educational institutions, government and security agencies such as the CIA.

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A long list of people who had purchased or attempted to purchase fake university diplomas in the United States has spurred the Saudi education authorities to launch an investigation into the issue of Saudis and expatriates who may be working in the Kingdom on counterfeit certificates.

However, Shoura Council member Abdullah Al-Tuwairqi called the reaction to the list “disappointing,” and expressed concern that education officials would have a death-by-committee mentality in addressing the issue.

The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Washington state recently obtained and posted online a list of nearly 10,000 names of people who had spent $7.3 million on purchasing or attempting to purchase fake diplomas from an illegal operation. The US Department of Justice shut down the illegal enterprise and compiled a list of its clients. The list was then leaked to the newspaper, which posted it online at: http://www.spokesmanreview.com/data/diploma-mill/.

The list contains at least 70 Saudis, or persons who listed their country of residence as Saudi Arabia. For example, one of the names on the list is a Saudi woman who bought degrees in obstetrics and gynecology. The newspaper reported that US federal investigators do not know if the woman is currently working as a medical doctor in the Kingdom.[...] According to Al-Watan, there are roughly 18 branches of unauthorized universities, with over 5,000 students in the Kingdom. Last year, 70 staff members at different girls’ colleges around the Kingdom were fired for having fake diplomas.

source: http://makkah.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/fake-degree-scam-in-gulf-and-saudi-arabia/