The idea of using a fake degree and certificate to highlight your expertise is something that crosses lots of people’s minds. Why is that? Cheating is very easy, and if you’re not caught, it can give you a major boost to your career. The problem is that quick degrees and online certificates are something that might not always provide the results you are expecting. While you can always get a fake degree, you also have the option to acquire a real degree very quickly. But even those things prove to be very effective traps for people that don’t really know the niche really well.
Why do online degrees and certificates are on the rise?
Clearly, people want to enjoy education at their own pace, and not worry about physically attending courses. A lot of the time, these online degrees also require a lot less work, and you can get them in weeks instead of months or years. Plus, you are told you’re getting a certificate that every institution will accept.
When something seems too good to be true, it’s most likely the case. You always want to find a very effective way of handling the situation and narrowing it down the best possible manner. With that being said, it’s difficult to close a lot of these institutions, due to the way they are created. Many of them are not legit and online degrees or certificates might end up not being valid because the institution who released them isn’t there anymore.
Why do people fall for quick degrees?
Clearly, the institutions that create these quick online degrees are in there for the money. They want as many people as possible to fall for their scam, so they can get paid fast. Whether the fake diploma they are releasing will matter or not in the long run, that’s not important to them. Instead, they really want to be certain that they get paid. But why do people fall for these quick degrees?
- Since there’s a constant pressure to stay competitive, people will succumb to the idea of getting a degree fast.
- Plus, no one wants to remain stale. They need to focus more on career advancement, and in those cases, you really want to focus on growth and on continually pushing the limits. Getting an online degree can be an excellent idea to keep in mind.
- There’s also a severe lack of awareness. Some people don’t know how to distinguish an accredited institution from one that’s fake.
- Time constraints will always push people towards things that they might not want to do in the first place. Plus, if you are in a rush, these quick degrees sound very appealing, and something that might come in handy.
- Social pressure also adds up. People in your social circle are pressuring you to get a degree or certificate, and naturally, that pressure will sometimes push you towards doing some stupid things.
It’s never easy to deal with those challenges, and they could end up pushing you to get a degree that’s not worth much. In some cases, people get an online certificate or diploma, just for the institution to close months or a couple of years after. And a lot of the time, that institution was not accredited. Their diploma is not worth anything, and you’re in a hole since you spent quite a bit of money to attend the courses and acquire the diploma.
What are the dangers of online certificates and any quick degrees?
As we said earlier, if stuff seems too good to be true, a lot of the time that will be the case. You need to be extremely careful when it comes to what institution you attend, what accreditation they have and what’s their reputation online. Doing your due-diligence can help save quite a lot of money and time as well.
- One of the immediate dangers is the career consequence you encounter. If the diploma is from an institution that was not accredited, then it’s not worth anything. Employers will not take it into account, so the chances of finding a job will diminish a lot more than you might be expecting here.
- Also, in a lot of these cases, fast degrees won’t help you learn anything. The focus is on getting the diploma, which to be honest, isn’t going to be worth that much to begin with.
- Legal risks can arise, because if the diploma is considered to be a fake degree, you end up in legal waters. It’s certainly more than you bargained for, but it’s always going to be an extremely challenging situation.
- It’s also leading to financial losses. As mentioned, attending such an institution is not free. You could end up in the hole for anything from hundreds to thousands of dollars. And in those cases, that’s a huge problem that you really want to stay away from.
- A lack of accreditation is a major issue. Many of these institutions that promise a fast degree might not be accredited in the first place. And they prey on people that are gullible and don’t really know how to search for accreditation. That’s important to focus on, and you really need to narrow down more info about an institution before giving them your money.
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What kind of red flags should you spot in quick degrees?
Spotting red flags is a bit tricky, but the truth is that you can find all kinds of red flags being shared everywhere. Unrealistic promises are the first red flag that you need to look out for. If they say that you earn an MBA or any degree in a few days, that’s too good to be true. They are lying, and obviously it’s one of the major red flags to consider.
Another red flag is that there are no exams or coursework. Any real educational institution will have these, so if there is no red flag, then obviously you have to address that and not work with them. Even if the institution is accredited, when the accreditation comes from an organization you don’t know, you always want to take things with a grain of salt.
Additionally, no serious institution will try to upsell add-ons. That seems more like a network marketing scheme rather than a real institution, so it ends up being a major red flag. Additionally, generic communication and fake reviews should also be things that you want to look out for. Whenever these things appear, you do want to think multiple times before signing up with those people. If an institution is great, reviews speak for themselves.
Conclusion
There are all kinds of scams in the online degree and certificate world. Unfortunately, a lot of people fall for these scams every day, so it’s important to research and perform your due diligence. You never really know what problems can arise, and how you can address everything in a way that’s appropriate. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to protect yourself from scammers, and to ensure that any online certificates you get are worth something. Obviously, working with an unaccredited institution is not the way to go, and you want to avoid that as much as possible.