This happened to Joe Matera, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education. Older than most traditional students and working full time, the Bronx, N.Y., native was determined to get a bachelor's degree. He applied to Columbia State after reading an advertisement on the Internet. He soon discovered that other Web sites described the school as a scam. Four hundred dollars poorer, Matera is now fighting to get his money back.
Many diploma mills claim to be accredited, either nationally or locally.
They often cite associations, but these associations aren't accrediting bodies and many are often fronts for the bogus school, she says. Another angle used by diploma mills is to offer credit for work-life experience. Johnson notes that this muddies the educational waters because it gives legitimate schools that offer this service a bad name. She notes that accredited schools have qualified personnel with experience in the field the candidate is interested in to evaluate an individual's experience, which is a complex process. Damaging careers and the bottom line People without college education or experience often fall for diploma mills, says Johnson.