How To Avoid Online Degree Scams!
How To Avoid Online Degree Scams!: The popularity of online studies has grown immensely in the past few years; not only are more people pursuing online degrees but there are multiple organizations offering them. In the midst of this fairytale like situation are swindles which attack with online degree scams.
Nevertheless, do not worry; you can separate these foes from friends by conducting some basic research and by keeping an eye out for some red flags.
- Make sure to check the program’s accreditation status. The accreditation status is available on the school’s website; if you cannot find the online school’s accreditation within the first two minutes of looking at the website, then there is a huge probability that the degree is a scam. Rather than checking for each school individually, you must check out Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s (CHEA) directory. It will provide information for schools in the US and international online schools.
- The point of contact(s) for the online degree school is extremely noteworthy. If the school’s address is a P.O. Box or is not available; if the website domain is not “.edu”; or if no contact number is provided then you may have stepped into a scam.
- Be cognizant of schools that sell degrees outright in exchange for cash. If you see promotional messages like, “Get your degree for just $199!”, then chances are you are falling for an online degree scam. The cost for the online degree should ideally depend on the credits enrolled in or per the hours of classes attended.
- The admission process is extremely important as well. If the only criterion for admission is that you have a valid credit card then chances are you being defrauded. An online degree has some similar requirements as that of traditional colleges; you should be asked to submit documents like previous transcripts, grade point average, and test scores.
- It is a common practice for online scam schools to name their institute similar to that of another school. Beware, if the name of an online degree school sounds like a popular college but is even a little bit different, risk of falling for a degree scam increases.