Over the past decade, thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world have bought fake online college degrees. The lure: earn your degree—fast and cheap. No tests required! The only graduation requirement: a valid credit card.

Among the most notable degree mill cases:

1. Dog Gets Online MBA

In June 2009, GetEducated.com’s mascot Chester Ludlow, a pug dog, was awarded an online MBA from Rochville University for his "career and life experience." The dog received his degree via express mail from the United Arab Emirates one week after paying the “university” $499 (had he paid $100 more, he could have graduated with honors). For more information, read the full article or see the video.

2. Saint Regis Scams

Dixie and Steven Randock were charged with selling thousands of bogus degrees from 121 phony online universities—most notably Saint Regis University, of Liberia—and creating counterfeit degrees from countless real universities. Customers came from 131 countries and included professionals in education, medicine and nuclear engineering. Authorities estimated the fraud ring took in $6 million by selling fraudulent academic products to 9,000 people. In 2008, the Randocks were sentenced to three years in prison for federal fraud charges.

3. Fake Doc Tragedy

An 8-year-old diabetic child died after a North Carolina "doctor" advised the little girl's mother to take her off insulin. The "doctor," Laurence Perry, claimed to be a specialist with degrees from several schools. His degrees were purchased from degree mills. Perry was eventually sentenced to 15 months in jail for manslaughter and practicing medicine without a license.

4. Accreditation Official Caught

You'd expect an organization that accredits colleges to know what it takes to earn a legitimate diploma. Apparently, a member of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools didn't get the memo. In 2004, Michael Davis, a member of the council, claimed a doctorate from the aforementioned Saint Regis University. Saint Regis is not accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools ... or any other recognized accrediting agency. Davis has since been kicked off the council.

5. U.S. Govt. Sting

In 2003, Laura Callahan, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's deputy chief information officer, claimed three degrees—a bachelor's, master's and a PhD—from Hamilton University, a distance learning college that is not accredited by any recognized agency. During the 10-month investigation, Callahan was put on leave, but continued to collect her government salary of between $128,000 and $175,000 annually. She was forced to resign in March 2004.

After the Callahan case, the Government Accounting Office ran a check of eight federal agencies. The check uncovered 463 employees who claimed degrees from fake schools. At least 28 of those caught in the sting were senior-level employees, including three unnamed managers with security clearances working at the National Nuclear Security Administration.

6. National Security Threat?

In 2005, the U.S. Secret Service investigated diploma mills, fearing they could be used by terrorists to gain access to sensitive jobs in the U.S. The Secret Service bought a degree for a fictional person—"Mohammed Syed," a Syrian Army expert looking for U.S. employment. "Syed" received three advanced degrees in engineering and chemistry for a total of $1,277 from James Monroe University. 

7. U.S. Military Uncovered

U.S. military personnel, both military and civilian, were found to be using diplomas from unaccredited schools by an Alabama TV station in 2009. One of the civilian employees named by WHNT-19 was the Director of Readiness at the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) in Huntsville, Ala. Chris Oleyte “earned” a bachelor's in human resource management from Trinity College & University (an unaccredited institution).

8. State Troopers Busted

In 2008, ten Washington State Patrol officers used degrees from degree mills to earn $50,000 in raises. No charges were filed against the officers, but they were forced to return the raises.

9. Educators Flunk

New Jersey administrators earned raises based on  fraudulent educational credentials and also charged the school district $10,750 for their fake degrees. Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent H. James Wasser called himself "doctor" after claiming a PhD from Breyer State University (a reputed diploma mill).

Wasser was forced to return his pay raise in 2008, but kept his $210,000 job through the 2009/2010 school year—at which point he is set to start a new job created for him by the district, also at $210,000 per year (though he will be required to give up his district-provided SUV and won't be allowed to claim any further educational expenses).

10. Cat Gets GED

This last case shows that online degree mills don't just restrict themselves to colleges—but also are targeting those seeking high school diplomas. Oreo, a rescue cat, received a GED (General Equivalency Diploma) from Jefferson High School Online, earning mostly A’s. The cat paid $200 for her online high school diploma. The Better Business Bureau sponsored the Georgia cat's application in 2009 as a way to draw attention to the growing problem.

You can help stop education and resume fraud, a crime that’s spreading worldwide. Register as an affiliate of GetEducated.com’s Diploma Mill Police.

Related Resources

Distance Learning, College Accreditation and Online Degree: The Facts
Unrecognized, Fake & Dubious Online College Accrediting Agencies
GetEducated's Top 10 Signs of a College Degree or Diploma Mill
College Degree Mills: What They Are & How They Work
GetEducated.com's Diploma Mill Police (TM)