[NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1488] BOGUS DEGREES INCREASE ON NET

From: Hacker, Emily (EHacker@fegs.org)
Date: Thu Jan 04 2001 - 09:39:12 EST


Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f04EdC920076; Thu, 4 Jan 2001 09:39:12 -0500 (EST)
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 09:39:12 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <A1064140F022D3118EBE0008C7919364E7E12F@fegsmail1.fegs.org>
Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov
Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Precedence: bulk
From: "Hacker, Emily" <EHacker@fegs.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1488] BOGUS DEGREES INCREASE ON NET
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
Content-Type: text/plain;
X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21)
Status: O
Content-Length: 2551
Lines: 59

Hello List:

I thought this might be of interest. You may want to let your students know
to be wary of offers of easy degrees over the Internet for cash.

Article abstract below reposted with permission of EDUCAUSE...


FIRMS SELLING BOGUS DEGREES INCREASE ON NET
The number of Internet companies offering fraudulent college
degrees is increasing, according to a new report from a private
watchdog group. The Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees
Nontraditionally, to be released in January, will count 481
fraudulent schools, up from 320 in its 1998 survey. Observers
say the degree mills, as they are often called, are popular with
those who are desperate to add an edge to their resumes. Also,
online degree mills often fool those who want a legitimate degree
from the growing number of online education programs.  The
market for such degrees exceeds $200 million each year, estimates
John Bear, author of The Bears' Guide. University of North
Dakota professor Barry Lumsden, an authority on degree mills,
says Internet companies use numerous techniques to lure
unsuspecting consumers, such as hosting their sites in the .edu
domain and inventing agencies to give accreditation to their
schools. Few government officials have taken an interest in the
problem, observers say, and those agencies that do face
significant obstacles in stopping online degree mills, as many of
the mills base their operations in several different countries.
(Computer News Daily, 29 December 2000)

COPYRIGHT

Abstracts copyright (c) 2000, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD
Edupage copyright (c) 2000, EDUCAUSE, http://www.educause.edu/

********************************************************************
Emily Hacker
Moderator, NIFL Technology
Director of Learning Technologies
F.E.G.S
(212) 366-8122
ehacker@fegs.org
http://www.fegs.org



VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT http://www.fegs.org 
************************NOTE**************************************  
The information contained in this email message is intended only 
for use of the addressee(s) named above. If the reader  
of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or  
agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you  
are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or  
copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you  
have received this communication in error, please immediately  
notify us by telephone (212-366-8400), and discard the original  
message. Thank you for your cooperation.  

*******************************************************************



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Jan 18 2002 - 11:31:10 EST