Fake degrees and diploma mills are a growing problem in the United States.
Diploma Mills
Diploma mills, which are essentially fraudulent universities that sell fake degrees and diplomas without requiring any actual academic work or achievement, are a serious problem and have been estimated to generate billions of dollars in revenue annually.
Diploma mills often target individuals seeking to improve their job prospects or advance in their careers, as well as employers who may not properly vet job candidates’ educational credentials.
In addition to being illegal, fake degrees from diploma mills can have serious consequences including loss of employment, legal action, and damage to one’s reputation.
Fake PhD degrees in United States
It is difficult to estimate the exact number of fake PhDs awarded every year in the United States as such data is not systematically collected or reported. However, as per reports, 50,000 fake PhD degrees are bought each year from diploma mills in the United States while only 40,000 to 45,000 PhDs are earned legitimately, indicating that more than half of all people claiming a new PhD have a fake degree.
The above phenomenon shows that the issue of fake PhDs is not uncommon in the US and has been a growing problem in recent years.
50,000 fake PhDs are estimated to be purchased every year in the United States, while only 40,000 PhDs are earned legitimately.
— Fact (@Fact) February 24, 2023
Yet it is believed that there is no comprehensive data on the number of fake PhDs specifically. The most reliable estimates of diploma mill activity come from organizations that track them such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the US Department of Education but these organizations do not provide specific numbers of fake PhDs.
It is worth noting that obtaining a fake PhD is illegal and can result in serious consequences, including loss of employment, legal action, and damage to one’s reputation. It is therefore important for individuals and organizations to verify the authenticity of any degrees claimed by job candidates or employees, and to report any suspected instances of fraud to the appropriate authorities.
