Diploma mills are illegal organizations that print out fake diplomas and degrees after enrolling and charging students to attend their fraudulent university. The classes and coursework that students complete under these diploma mills have not been approved by accrediting councils, and their degrees are totally worthless. Students looking for an online school to attend need to be extra careful when researching universities because it can be easy for a diploma mill to create a valid looking website to fool potential students. While researching online programs and schools, individuals need to first look for the institution’s accrediting status. A web search can also be conducted to find out the reputation of the school and find information about faculty members, alumni and current students. If you are still unsure about the legitimacy of an online school, there are several government programs and lists that can help the public verify schools.

The website for the U.S. Department of Education lists several resources for uncovering diploma mills and verifying colleges, including online universities. To make sure a school’s claim to be accredited is true, visit the site for the Office of Postsecondary Education and access the database from the U.S. Department of Education, which lists accrediting councils, regional organizations, and specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies. You can also type in the name of the school to narrow down your search. Also on the U.S. Department of Education website are links to several government sites at the state level, which list unaccredited colleges and popular diploma mills. Review this list before starting your school search so that you’ll be able to notice the fraudulent institutions immediately.