Hill University, Bakerville University, and Executive Ed Pro

Hi, I'm just posting this to raise awareness of a network of entities in online education that I have no doubt is fraudulent. I apologise if this is (very) old news, but wanted to bring them into the public eye so as to avoid anyone getting ripped off by conmen. The entities in question are:

Hill University: Accredited Online Degrees | Online University - Hill University
Bakerville University: Bakerville University - Online University | Accredited Online Programs
Executive Ed Pro: Executive Ed Pro

I apologise if links to fraudulent entities are dis-allowed. If that's the case, I trust a mod will remove them, but I included them so that anyone reading this would have reference to the particular sites in question.

These 3 entities have the usual accreditation nonsense -- recognition by a host of bodies I've never heard of, and absolutely none from the major accreditation bodies, US based or otherwise.

I know they're linked because of an experiment I undertook some months ago.

In my many google searches to find a legitimate online university that met my needs, I came across Hill University and looked through the site. It was clearly a fake university, though smoothly enough constructed that it could, perhaps, fool a person with no knowledge of higher education. The fact that it was a relatively well put together website with absolutely no sign of academic work going on... well... anywhere, made me suspect it was the tip of a very pernicious iceberg.

So I signed up to their mailing list under a false name: Hubert McWilliams.

Mr McWilliams was, predictably enough, bombarded with emails from Hill offering all sorts of cheap, accredited, degree courses that would have world-wide recognition. However, he soon began receiving unsolicited emails from the other 2 entities named in this thread's title (neither of which I had ever heard of previously). The fact that they sent emails to my address using the false name Hubert McWilliams was indicative of a shared data pool and, probably, ownership / operation.

So I dug a little further. I took images of 2 of Hill Universities faculty members, and conducted a google image search of them. To my great surprise, numerous online 'universities' popped up. All of these universities have not only shared faculties but IDENTICAL faculty images and information. So, make of that what you will. To me, this is clear proof of a web-ring of fraudulent entities masquerading as online universities (in the case of Executive Ed Pro, something else. One wonders how many other false sites covering different entities in higher education are involved in this scam -- I assume at least some of the fake accreditation agencies, though I haven't bothered to research them).

I have no idea who operates this web-ring, but would advise any lurkers who are considering handing over their cash to grip it ever more firmly. The institutions of which I am aware are: Hill University, Bakerville University, Headway University, WAC University, Riverbanks University, and Ray University. I strongly suspect there are more out there somewhere that have, for now, eluded me.

1 Damning screenshot from Google images is attached. I will provide another in a later post, although, quite frankly, the 1 makes my point clearly enough.

Regards,

JGD

 

Riverbanks University has this to say about itself:

"HISTORY

The history of Riverbanks University is rooted deep into the past as one of the leading universities online worldwide. The exciting insights into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students have been a memorable highlight in the history of online universities etched into the sands of time. One of Riverbanks curricular innovations was to run classes year-round, allowing students to graduate at whatever time of year they completed their studies. From those humble beginnings, the university has grown into a large, diverse community, with about 38,000 students enrolled each year. These students represent every state in the nation, as well as countries from around the globe, making for a truly international population."

How refreshing to see a university with such a stellar track record that doesn't brag by specifically mentioning any of it's overwhelming research activities, and just alludes (perhaps eluding would be fairer) to them instead.

 

It's a Pakistani operation, run from an apartment in Karachi, and the most well-known member of this extended family of fake schools is called Rochville University. There is no way of telling how many Rochvilles there are out there, as some of the sites aren't indexed because of robots.txt. I have a fairly long list, but they come and go: one of the earliest incarnations was Bonneville University, registrant address was Room 202, Block 2, P.E.C.H.S. (Pakistani Employees Cooperative Housing Society), Almas Heights, Karachi.

 

I checked a couple pf "universities" on whois - all hidden behind a privacy screen - not a good sign. This does not apply to Executive Ed Pro. I think they're legit, in that they likely prospect for "real" schools.

The "universities? Dot-com domains, privacy, similar "template" look, American or English-sounding names, some very familiar bogus "accreditors."

Hard to be positive, but I think these "universities" may be new ones from a Karachi, Pakistan entrepreneur, with many, many fake schools and "accreditors" to his credit. He is reputed to take in $70 million a year from such enterprises.

If memory serves, I believe this person has used some of these fake "accreditors" before; he may very well have invented some or all of them along with his numerous "universities."

If I'm wrong - and it's a rival from another country -- so be it. The "degrees" would have exactly the same value.

Johann

 

Hmmm - I've been looking further at Executive Ed Pro. They're using logos of major Universities, but that doesn't prove/disprove anything. What makes you think they're linked to the others in this circle? Were you referred to a suspicious school by them? BTW - I looked, but didn't see any mention of the bogus accreditors named on the "university" pages.

Nothing I could find "out there" on them -- and that's not usually encouraging. I'm beginning to wonder. Anybody have any info, good or bad, on Executive Ed Pro? I did notice - on their app form, the income scale tops out at $12,000 - so very possibly this is an overseas effort. Hmmm...

Johann

 

It tops out at "$12,000+" -- but that's for your monthly income. So that represents $144,000+ per year. Doesn't seem downscale to me.

I'm impressed by the length of their Terms of Service, and also by the apparent absence of any physical address or phone number. I didn't see any way to contact them, except by submitting an online form. The Terms of Service reference the British Virgin Islands.

 

If you say so, then indeed it is! Good to have my suspicions confirmed by an acknowledged expert in this matter. I didn't see your post yesterday - it may have shown up later. Always good to hear from you.

Duh! Scratch a few points from Johann's reading comprehension score! Nope - not downscale at all. My mistake. I misinterpreted it as annual income.

I did a "whois" on Executive Ed Pro. Hidden behind the same privacy org. in Metairie LA. Not a good sign. They also mentioned in that lengthy TOS that the diplomas were in accordance with EEP's affiliated accreditation bodies and may not be to accreditation standards of anywhere else - including North and South America, Europe...

So - it looks like the diplomas are not from those major, respected US schools whose logos EEP uses, claiming them as "partners" - while the small print weasel-clause says basically that neither EEP nor any other entities mentioned endorse each other in any way.

Logos used include U of Chicago / Booth School of Business, Duke University / Fuqua School, UC Berkeley / Haas School, Kellogg School of Management!

So yes - it looks like a "steering" site to "fast easy cheap degrees," very possibly from the schools the OP listed - or ones of similar origin.

Johann

 

Indicative, perhaps, but not evidence of a share data pool. Mailing lists are bought and sold. Anyway, as the universities you've found are most likely Rochville clones with a few things in common with Ashley, Harvey and Columbiana University, I wouldn't communicate more than necessary with them. It's a vast Pakistani crime syndicate, running fake universities, fake high schools, fake essay writing services, etc, plus a number of other scams. Oh, and don't chat with any of their study counselors. They track your IP number.

 

Ah yes, the Salem Kureshi ring of rubbish. I heard about his work, but wasn't aware that these institutions were them. Thanks for the knowledge. Johann, I think you're probably correct about EEP -- but let's test it. I think Hubert McWilliams might have to sign up with them and see what he gets sent.

Johann, the reason I think they're linked -- aside from the style of copy and design which, in all fairness, could have been farmed out to the same third party by two different entities, one legit and one fraudulent -- is that I signed up to Hill University's mailing list under a false name (a name I have never used anywhere else: Hubert McWilliams) and received an email from EEP to that name. Which indicates a common data pool. Now it COULD be that Hill sells on personal details and EEP is a legitimate institution that uses some dirty marketing techniques (like buying data) but I think it's unlikely. Let's see what they send me.

 

From a Google and/or a Bing search:

The history of Ashley University is rooted deep into the past as one of the leading universities online worldwide. The exciting insights into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students have been a memorable highlight in the ...

The history of Hill University is rooted deep into the past as one of the leading universities online worldwide. The exciting insights into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students have been a memorable highlight in the ...

The history of Milltown University is rooted deep into the past as one of the leading universities online worldwide. The exciting insights into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students have been a memorable highlight in the ...
.
The history of Riverbanks University is rooted deep into the past as one of the leading universities online worldwide. The exciting insights into some of the scholarly activities, ... of the University's academics and students have been a memorable highlight in the ...

etc.

 

Perhaps you should sign up Hubert's cousin, with a completely different name. I'm pretty sure some of those rubbish-artists read the forums regularly and they might be expecting to hear from Hubert, now...

Johann

 

Milltown - what a singularly apt name for this "University!" :smile:

The name (and nothing else) reminds me somewhat of the Old Mill Campus, University of Vermont, here:

Old Mill University of Vermont

Obviously - a world of difference between the two! :smile:

Johann

 

Oh, I don't know about that, but it's nice of you to say so. Well, my posts are placed in the mod queue still, so they don't show up until a mod has approved them.

Anyway, from the top of my head, here's a selection of R-villes, the ones mentioned earlier in this thread omitted. Just add "University"

Harvey, Pittsford, Columbiana, Westland, Bay City, Payne Spring, Mayfield, Arizona International, Al Khalifa American, Wiley, Arab International, Anchor Point, Kennedy, Nixon, Madison Hills, Bay Town, Brooklyn Park, American Mideast, Kingsbridge, Salter, Woollington, Northern Port, Northeast Alabama, Pine Hills, Ester, Richford, Hansford, Steadford, Hadley, James Harding, Nelson Bay, Barkley, Brockton, Kingslake, Western Europe, Brampton International, Windham, Fargo, Scientia, McGraw, American Gulf, Panworld, Birmingham International, Camp Lake, Hartsdale, James Adam, Raeford, Ashbery, Mount Lincoln, Green Lake, Wilford, McKinley, Port Jefferson, Fort Jones, Adams Ville, Arab Women, Queens Bay. And a few more, including Chamon Institute and Phoenix Academy. Also add the fake high schools like High school and the essay sites like essayrelief dot com (100% non-plagiarized) to that, and the degree outlets like affordable degrees, custom degrees and cheap degrees dot com.

 

This is an awesome list from mbwa. Thank you. It seems important to me that they be listed with their full names, so that people doing an Internet search are more likely to find them here.

FAKE UNIVERSITIES IN THE “ROCHVILLE” GROUP
Adams Ville University,
Al Khalifa American University,
American Gulf University,
American Mideast University,
Anchor Point University,
Arab International University,
Arab Women University,
Arizona International University,
Ashbery University,
Barkley University University,
Bay City University,
Bay Town University,
Birmingham International University,
Brampton International University,
Brockton University,
Brooklyn Park University,
Camp Lake University,
Chamon Institute,
Columbiana University,
Ester University,
Fargo University,
Fort Jones University,
Green Lake University,
Hadley University,
Hansford University,
Hartsdale University,
Harvey University,
James Adam University,
James Harding University,
Kennedy University,
Kingsbridge University,
Kingslake University,
Madison Hills University,
Mayfield University,
McGraw University,
McKinley
Mount Lincoln University,
Nelson Bay University,
Nixon University,
Northeast Alabama University,
Northern Port University,
Panworld University,
Payne Spring University,
Phoenix Academy,
Pine Hills University,
Pittsford University,
Port Jefferson University,
Queens Bay University,
Raeford University,
Richford University,
Salter University,
Scientia University,
Steadford University,
Western Europe University,
Westland University,
Wiley University,
Wilford University,
Windham University,
Woollington University,

 

The "Rochville" Group has some of the finest university names...

 

You're welcome, Dr Bear. Here's a few more, some already known:

Al Arab University
Anne Sullivan University
Boston University (bostonuni dot us)
Central Western University
Colton University
Corllins University
Kenton University
London University (londonuniversity dot com)
Lydon University
Madison University
Melviz University
Millwood University
Must University
Norton University
OLWA (Olford Waters) University
Orlando University
Scottfield University
Sun University
University of Castle
University of Rockhampton
Woodbridge University

 

..and McFord University -- yeah, we should include McFord. :smile: Site is still up and running...

Johann

 

I see Nixon U. is on the list, as it should be. My favourite Nixon U. joke:

"I got my Nixon U. degree by mail in five days -- but when I looked at my transcript, 18 credits were missing."

Watergate-era people will get this. :smile:

Johann

 

don't remember this

 

I do.

It refers to the well-publicized 18 minutes of tape that was missing from Nixon's recordings. His loyal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, accepted responsibility for part of the erasure and claimed it was inadvertent. You can read about her involvement here:

Rose Mary Woods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There were many jokes about the missing 18 minutes. Comedian Rich Little, in one of his Nixon impersonation TV monologues, referred to it, in roughly these words: "It took eighteen minutes to bring my car around. And when it arrived, parts of the car were missing." Well, it got him laughs back then.

If I have to explain it -- I guess it wasn't a very good joke. Sorry :sad:

Johann