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A degree is a symbolisation of hard work, dedication, and mastery within a subject. It’s a certification that many individuals strive to obtain because of the prestigious value it holds. But, despite the driven people who strive to accomplish their degree legitimately, there are a growing number of individuals and organisations who engage in degree fraud to create fake certificates, or even bogus universities, causing serious problems for students, prospective employers, universities, and awarding bodies.

In recent years, thousands of UK and other nationalities have purchased fake degrees from around the globe. This activity can cause severe problems for key employment sectors such as healthcare, where a candidate’s knowledge, expertise and skill set is of critical importance.

With International Fraud Awareness Week approaching us (14th November), we thought we would dedicate a blog to degree fraud so you can understand more about what it means, its impacts, and how we can help to prevent it:

What is degree fraud?

A degree serves as a verification of your expertise, skills, and profession. To achieve a degree, you must demonstrate your knowledge in a specific field through any number of rigorous tests or processes. This could be case studies, exams, hours-worked – anything that can showcase your professional ability in a specific industry.

As you can imagine, degree fraud involves the creation of fake or fraudulent certificates that are not legally accredited by a university or awarding body. Because of this, people can essentially buy their degree or accreditation, rather than achieving it legitimately. The problems that can arise from this can be substantial. Apart from the illegal transaction to unregistered businesses, degree fraud can potentially devalue a degree as obtataining it becomes a matter of cost rather than expertise.

Currently, thousands are circulating around the UK, and millions worldwide. There have been many techniques that fraudsters can use to make fake degrees. Most notably, via fake universities or identical duplicates of pre-existing degrees from graduates.

But what are the key problems arising from degree fraud?

What problems can degree fraud cause for universities or awarding bodies?

Understanding degree fraud is self-explanatory as it follows similar behaviours that suit fraudulent-like activity. However, many people are unaware of the sheer number of problems these fake certificates are causing universities and awarding bodies:

• Applicants – One of the main concerns is the potential reduction in the numbers of people who want to apply go to universities or enrol in courses to achieve degrees. With the circulation of fake certificates, more people are contemplating their value. After all, if someone can get accepted into a job with a fake degree, why spend years mastering a specific skill?

 

• Authenticity – In the UK, and indeed worldwide, there are more individuals without a degree than with one. Therefore, it offers the person who’s obtained it authenticity as their unique achievement is certified by an official and respected awarding body. However, because of degree fraud, people can potentially buy their way into looking like they’ve achieved something that they haven’t. As a result, employers may start to overlook the importance and value of a degree, resulting in the authenticity of the certification being perceived as worthless.

 

• Price war – According the BBC, one of their investigative reporters was offered a degree from a fake university for $3,600 (£2,600), which is significantly cheaper than most courses and universities. Evidently, universities can’t beat the price war against fake degrees. Because they can be created inexpensively (compared to traditional options), many might choose the cheaper choice, which will lower our overall professionalism in the economy.

The problems caused by degree fraud actually go a lot further than these few examples, to the significant detriment of many individuals and organisations within higher education. So, how can degree fraud be prevented to avoid the negative impacts on graduates, universities, employers, and the economy?

 

How degree fraud can be prevented

The primary prevention methods for degree fraud are printed on the degree certificate itself. However, there are also some off-paper prevention methods available. Needless to say, there are many different variations of security print features, but these are some of the main occurrences:

• Holograms – one of the most notable fraud security measure is the use of holograms. These are metallic foils that showcase colourful visual effects in different lighting that are extremely difficult to duplicate

 

• Security inks – additionally to the above, is security inks. These come in an array of variations, including invisible UV, thermochromic, coin reactive, and aqua fugitive inks, to increase the difficulty of degree fraud

 

• Number schemes – unlike the above, a numbering scheme is on-paper and off-paper. A specifically generated number is printed onto the certificate and filed on or offline. By having this, people can reference the number to an awarding body and verify it

 

• Security designs – to prevent degree fraud further, there are various certificate design options you can select: these include background designs, anti-photocopy messages, microtext, watermarks, and various other options.

 

To many people, preventing degree fraud may sound straightforward. However, when you can consider all the factors involved, it can quickly become apparent how complex and technical the procedure can be. Although some degrees do get duplicated by fraudsters, security print specialists can apply a combination of covert and overt security features to a degree certificate to make it extremely difficult to duplicate. Thanks to these cutting-edge procedures, and the expertise leading security print companies such as A1 Security Print, universities and awarding bodies can be far better equipped in the fight against degree fraud.

 

What A1SP does to prevent degree fraud

It is truly remarkable the amount of security features you can apply to a certificate to prevent degree fraud. There is a comprehensive list of unique options, which are specially targeted to make awarded certification exceptionally difficult to replicate or tamper with.

A1 Security Print, is the UK’s leading security print provider, and for over 40 years we have provided solutions to help prevent forgery, tampering and counterfeiting of degree certificates for universities and awarding bodies throughout the world. Our comprehensive degree fraud prevention methods include:

• Holograms (wallpaper, registered, and bespoke holograms)
• Embossed Foils
• Security inks (Invisible UV, thermochromic, coin reactive, and aqua fugitive inks)
• Number schemes
• Watermarks (bespoke and iris watermarked paper)
• Security designs (anti-photocopy, microtext, split duct print, and other background security designs)

 

Each of the above is specially designed to reduce to the possibilities of fake certification dramatically. With each of our services, we offer complete transparency and customisation with unrivalled quality.

Our experienced and highly-skilled team of security print specialists is always ready to take on the next challenge. Contact us today to find out how our bespoke solutions can help to protect the security of your high value documents and the integrity of your brand.