How to Avoid a Fake Diploma

Many graduates assume that the diploma they receive on graduation day is legitimate. The problem of fake diplomas has increased with the growth of Internet universities as well as the rapid expansion of traditional schools without growth in quality control. Read on to learn how to avoid a fake diploma.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Magnifying glass
• Frame

1. Speak with your student government association and other organizations at your school about avoiding a fake diploma. These groups can share tips and warnings about diploma fraud received from other alumni. You can use these organizations to expose fake diplomas through a public relations campaign.

2. Spend time at a local print shop to assess the legitimacy of your diploma. An experienced printer can help you avoid a diploma by looking for watermarks, font consistency and other characteristics of authentic documents.

3. Research the reputation of the issuing school to avoid the embarrassment of a fake diploma. A review of stories from the past few years posted on the Internet helps you apply the right amount of scrutiny to your diploma.

4. Feel your diploma with your fingers to avoid accepting a fake diploma. Diplomas are printed on sturdy paper with high quality ink that can be easily contrasted with a fraudulent diploma.

5. Hold your diploma up to a bright light to look for a watermark. The watermark should look like the school's seal and helps confirm the identity of a real diploma.

6. Examine the university seal printed on the diploma before you accuse the school of issuing fake credentials. The seal should be printed cleanly at the bottom of the diploma and look exactly like the logo on the leather diploma cover.

7. Check details in your transcript against the information printed on a diploma to ensure a legitimate document. Your transcript features your full name, program of study and degree type, which should match the same information on your diploma.

8. Insert your diploma into a simple frame to help you point out imbalances and visual problems. The straight lines of a frame act as a reference point to look at the balance of each line on your diploma.

Tips & Warnings

• Inquire about printing and authentication procedures from the issuing school to avoid a fake diploma. Most schools publish a document highlighting their printing policies as well as the names of third-party vendors used to create diplomas. You should use this information as the touchstone for your investigation of fake diplomas.