The increase in news stories about fake qualification certificates and diploma mills is a great reminder why we should check such documents at source. At Agenda we take great care in ensuring that when a qualification or membership check is needed, it is critical that it is genuine, that the awarding body exists and that the grades and dates of attendance match those claimed by the person being checked.
Lies, Damn Lies and Fakes
Recent news items in the UK have further reinforced why this is essential for those job roles that require a certain level of qualification, for example in it was recently reported that Vinisha Sharma had worked at a Midland hospital using a fake Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from India and earning nearly £230,000 over nine years. Worse still Charles Ahme a bogus physiotherapist sexually assaulted a string of women, describing himself as Dr Charles Ahme BSc, and lining the walls with fake qualification certificates. Helen Smith was banned from teaching for two years after falsely claiming sick pay, but the General Teaching Council also found that she had claimed to have a PhD from “Buxton University” which was found to be an unaccredited online vendor of qualifications. Muhammed Ismaeel Saman, 33, an asylum-seeking dentist, who was charged with using fake documents to stay and work in the UK, was also held for lying about his university qualification.
Novelty Certificate Sentence First!
Lying about qualifications is nothing new, the recent web based trend in the provision of “Novelty” certificates has made is even more difficult for busy HR personnel to spot a fake, in what we believe to be the first case of its kind. David Fox, a fraudster who ran an online business selling fake exam and degree certificates was jailed for three years. The fakes – which included a Master’s certificate from Oxford University, GCSE’s and vocational qualifications were sold though a website. He pleaded guilty to 12 counts under the Trademark Act and Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
Fake Educational Institutes and Providers!
Three Nigerians were jailed for a total of eighteen-and-a-half years for setting up fake educational institutions to help illegal immigrants remain in the United Kingdom. The UK Border Agency’s London Immigration Crime Team, told the prosecution that its investigations revealed the dirty deals of the three, which include a husband and wife, Tiamiyu and Christiana Bello, and solicitor, Adeyinka Adeniran. The UK Border’s Agency said its raid on Mr. And Mrs. Bellos’ office, which was registered to the address of “Academic College of Education” and the “Academic College of Training and Recruitment”, institutions for which the Bellos’ were the principals, led to the seizures of documents. In another news item a college run by a Pakistani citizen, Rizwan Ahmed Kiyani is under investigation following reports that it creates fraudulent gateway to British citizenship by selling fake English language certificates.
It’s a Global Issue!
The issues above are not new and are not restricted to the UK either, sensationally, in December 2010 around 105 current and former politicians belonging to different political and religious parties have used unfair means to become a member of parliament, but the issue of fake degree holders exposed them and now they have been declared fake or invalid degree holders by the court, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), or the institutes responsible for issuing their degrees. In Canada this year a woman who used forged documents to get hired twice as a nurse and once as a teacher in Calgary could go to prison for five to six years. When sentenced, Brigitte Denise Marier tried to lie her way out by submitting false provincial registration documents and resumes. Also this year a Californian graduate school instructor profited from fake military and academic credentials for a decade. According to a criminal complaint, William Hillar had been offering workshops, accepting paid speaking engagements and conducting training for government agencies under fraudulent pretences.
So What?
Any document that is critical to you operating your organisation with due care, legally and honestly must be checked at source. The above shows that fraudsters are willing to go to great lengths to get what they want at your expense! It is vital to when checking identity, right to work or qualifications to that ensure appropriate checks are conducted and that critical document are not simply photocopied as they could be a genuine looking fakes or stolen. As you have read above there are serious repercussions for the fraudster, however, what about your organisation, your reputation, potential threats of litigation or fines for employing illegal or hiring criminal elements who defraud you? A little care at the hiring stage is much better than a lot of pain later.
If you would like any further information please contact info@agenda-security.co.uk
