News How Did a Pakistani Company Scam Millions with Fake Online Universities?

[jtbell]

A Pakistani software and media company has apparently been raising money by selling diplomas through a network of web sites of fictitious American online universities, including:

Barkley University
Columbiana University
Mount Lincoln University
Hillford University
Grant Town University
Rochville University

and...

Nixon University! Is this guy revealing his sense of humor? ("I am not a crook!")

Fake Diplomas, Real Cash: Pakistani Company Axact Reaps Millions (New York Times)

 

[StevieTNZ]

Nixon University! Is this guy revealing his sense of humor? ("I am not a crook!")

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012602036.html

Behar poked the governor, seated next to her on the couch. "Just say, 'I am not a crook' to us. Do it!" When Blagojevich declined, Behar tousled his ample hair. "Come on -- you got the hair for it and everything," she urged. "Go like this: I am not a crook!" Behar made victory signs with both hands.

<3 Joy Behar

 

[nsaspook]

Fake? Hard to believe when looking a picture from one of the 'Columbiana University' pages.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Isn't that the Earth where Spock has a beard?

 

[jtbell]

Update:

Pakistani Investigators Raid Offices of Axact, Fake Diploma Company

Investigators homed in on accusations from former employees that Axact had illegally sold American government authentication to pad its profits. Local news media reported that the police had discovered State Department certificates and letterheads for some of the company’s nonexistent universities during the raid on its premises.

 

[phinds]

Why is this news? I remember being offered fake diplomas 20 years ago (and at times ever since, although my automatic spam filter seems to weed all of them out these days).

 

[nsaspook]

Why is this news? I remember being offered fake diplomas 20 years ago (and at times ever since, although my automatic spam filter seems to weed all of them out these days).

I always wanted just one good fake, there's something special saying I went to Sam Houston Institute of Technology.
http://41.media.tumblr.com/5d3b1ac553b59156dc7e6ea7553215f5/tumblr_mtal0vvUQR1s63347o1_1280.jpg

 

[phinds]

I always wanted just one good fake, there's something special saying I went to Sam Houston Institute of Technology.
http://41.media.tumblr.com/5d3b1ac553b59156dc7e6ea7553215f5/tumblr_mtal0vvUQR1s63347o1_1280.jpg

I like it. Thanks for posting.

 

[nsaspook]

Isn't that the Earth where Spock has a beard?

TV on that Earth.
http://www.verbicidemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/homer-simpson-walking-backward.gif

 

[cellurl]

I have to add this. I worked for a BIG japanese company in US with a "Fields" expert EE by the name of Dr Bill. He was the go to PhD guy in Electromagnetic fields. After about 10 years, he was discovered to be a complete fraud and vanished. I saw him five years later and after saying HI, he vanished again. (I am still waiting for Wired Magazine to contact me for the whole story)...

 

[WWGD]

How much do they go for, and how fast can I get them?

 

[nsaspook]

The price has doubled overnight, get one soon.

 

[Czcibor]

I always wanted just one good fake, there's something special saying I went to Sam Houston Institute of Technology.
http://41.media.tumblr.com/5d3b1ac553b59156dc7e6ea7553215f5/tumblr_mtal0vvUQR1s63347o1_1280.jpg

I'd prefer a degree in peace studies from George W. Bush University. ;)

 

[nsaspook]

I'd prefer a degree in peace studies from George W. Bush University. ;)

I'm proud to be a member of the Terran Empire with a degree in "Peace Studies' from S.H.

Nod to the 'Spock has a beard'.

 

[Tobias Funke]

I thought the huge online university scam was the existence of online universities.

 

[Borg]

I had a coworker once who listed his computer science degree as being received from a university that didn't have a computer science program. Why bother with a fake degree when you can commit outright fraud?

 

[StevieTNZ]

Don't US universities have the suffix .edu, rather than .com?
That could be a tell-tale hint that the websites are scams.