Harrington University is headquartered in London, but students must wire payments overseas through Western Union. The service provides employers with transcripts and recommendation letters, all without any grades or coursework. For an additional fee, applicants may change any dates or majors within a year of purchase. The virtual school, based in the British Virgin Islands, claims that its nontraditional degrees are accredited and therefore valid in Europe, the United States, and other countries. Wired News was unable to contact Capitol University through the phone number listed on the website.
Some illegitimate sites use Tongan ISPs to establish anonymity.
Others use the .edu domain suffix, which many people associate with legitimate educational institutions. The Internet's ability to deliver targeted ads to consumers has also allowed illegitimate sites to thrive. The only reason these sites prosper is because people want them. Some say that although people who sign up for diploma mills may be defrauded, the real victims are unknowing employers and the public. One never knows when it might go off with dire effects.