Chip stops Trinity College Fraud. Thanks!

I have signed up to say a special thanks to Chip. If it had not been for his diligence and bravery I would have been defrauded out of over $1000 by Trinity College and University.

Basically, I visited their site and was impressed. I took what they said at face value and sent off an application. I was turned down. Then I sent off another, more detailed application and was accepted as qualified for a Masters Degree in Geography based on my traditional Bachelor Degree and life experience. Only 5% of applicants succeed they say!

I was collecting together copies of my old degree, several diplomas and other qualifications to support my application when a friend stopped by and asked what I was doing. When I told him he burst into uncontrollable laughter and told me not to be so stupid and not to waste my money on a scam.

We went to my computer and on the Internet (I am a relative newcomer) he showed me this site where Trinity College and University is clearly labelled a scam. In a discussion called “Trinity C&U” you identify the website http://www.trinity-college.edu as being the one of many Trinity Colleges that are acting illegally with bogus accreditation. A degree from Trinity College was described as a “time-bomb” waiting to go off.

The clearest accusation was made by “Chip” on July 28 2001. He stated:

“Let me state it with exceptional clarity, in case there is any question.
Trinity College and University, and the dozens of other scams affiliated with it, is a diploma mill, a fraud, a scam, whatever you would like to call it.
While they claim to require extensive "prior learning" to grant a degree, you can basically tell them anything... they don't verify anything, so as long as you give them your credit card, you get your degree.
And for those who might be thinking of taking the easy way, here's another example of a "resume time bomb" that's about to explode.”

Not only am I shocked at the content of this statement; I am also shocked that Trinity College and University has done nothing to defend itself. They state on their site that their degrees are legal. Chip is telling the world otherwise with impunity. The only logical conclusion is that he must be telling the truth.

If he were not, Trinity College and University would have sued him for libel.

In a vain attempt to defend Trinity College and University I said that maybe they were unable to defend themselves because “Chip” is an anonymous pseudonym used on the Internet.

My friend laughed again and asked me to make him some coffee while he went to work tracing Chip. I returned a mere 11 minutes later and my friend was happily printing out Chip’s résumé, complete with addresses and telephone numbers; More than enough information to launch legal action.

I emailed Trinity College with this information demanding to know why they had not sued Chip.

The answer shocked me!

Rebecca Williamson replied (eventually) saying that “Trinity College & University is a multi-million dollar corporation” that is “as legal as Harvard University”.

She explained “We have made it our policy to ignore all
Claims and ridiculous accusations.”

She dismissed Degreeinfo as not being “legitimate” and directed me to contact the following “LEGITIMATE” sources.

1. Contact an Attorney in South Dakota
2. Contact the Better Business Bureau in Sioux Falls
3. Contact the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce
4. Contact the Association of Online Academic
Excellence
5. Contact the Society for Philosophy and Technology
6. Contact the Association of Private Colleges &
Universities

I had to leave on business but before I went I sent this email to her:

Subject: Re: Questions about the legality of Trinity College and
University

Dear Rebecca,

Thank you for your reply. While informative (I shall
contact the agencies you mention) it does not address
my core concern.

My core concern is this. You claim to be acting
legally and I must confess my impression of your
application process was that it was genuine.

However, I cannot risk putting a degree from Trinity
College and University in my CV (no matter how
convinced I am that it is genuine and legal) if a
basic Internet search turns up comments like those
below by Mr White.

I have looked at www.degreeinfo.com and I have to say
that it looks LEGITIMATE as you put it. Another
institution that they have criticised (called the
Monterrey Institute for Graduate Studies) has been
fined over $200,000 for operating illegally. Others in
Hawaii have been fined even more.

I am not suggesting that you are connected with those
institutions. I am simply saying that they appear to
have a track record of being proved right.

I am afraid that unless I see action to defend the
good name of Trinity College and University, I cannot
proceed with my application. In my view, Mr White is
either telling the truth or he should be sued for for
libel for the sake of your graduates. If you are as
legal as you claim, a successful libel case would be a
guaranteed victory and provide excellent publicity as
well as confidence in your degrees.

You have a moral, if not a legal, responsibility to do
so. The fact that you have not reflects poorly upon
you.

Sincerely,

Larry

On my recent return, this was her quite unbelievable reply:

“Subject: Re: Questions about the legality of Trinity College and
University

Larry:

Thank you for your concern. We have made it our policy to ignore all
Claims and ridiculous accusations. Anybody can write anything they want on a web site.

If you choose to base your decisions on the claims of someone's web
site as opposed to contacting an attorney or the Better Business Bureau, that is your business.

I wish you luck with your educational endeavors.

Rebecca Williamson, Admissions
Trinity College & University http://www.trinity-college.edu
Customer Service (toll free): (866) 831-4854”

My translation of the above is “We take money off you and then let you deal with the fall-out.”

One thing is for certain. If Chip made the above statements about Harvard University, the university that Trinity College and University likened itself to, I bet that a very rapid court appearance would be the order of the day.

I realise this is probably old hat to the old hands here, but I just had to get this off my chest.

Thanks again Chip. You have made a difference in a complete stranger’s life.

 

Thanks for sharing your story. Since Trinity cannot operate legally in South Dakota since new laws were passed there a few months ago, it is surprising that they still are making South Dakota claims.

There really are an astonishing number of phonies out there. The next edition of Bears' Guide will include well over 500 degree mills, up at least 150 from two years ago, and up from "only" 200 five or six years ago.

John Bear www.degree.net

 

Hi Larry

Thanks for the post that I am sure will be very useful to others who find themselves in the position you were in. What I find interesting is how well TC&U's response actually was. They are, of coarse, the scam that Chip accused them of being. As has been noted in the MIGS saga a legitimate University very likely would ignore claims from usenet posts and a website. The truth is evident and unless the liable was on a massive scale it wouldn't be worth the trouble. Again thanks!

P.S. I think I would buy your friend a very nice meal!

------------------
Best Regards,
Dave Hayden

 

First, thanks for the kudos... but really, it's a big part of what degreeinfo was originally started to do... help people find quality programs and help them avoid frauds and time bombs.

Secondly, for the consumer-activism challenged, or the terminally naive, I'll offer the following info just so it's there for the record:




She dismissed Degreeinfo as not being “legitimate” and directed me to contact the following “LEGITIMATE” sources.

1. Contact an Attorney in South Dakota


Because certainly, any attorney would know that Trinity is a legitimate school operating out of the West Indies (or wherever it is this week). This makes absolutely no sense.


2. Contact the Better Business Bureau in Sioux Falls

Where any organization, including one of the worst diploma mills in history, Columbia State, can be a member by paying the fee. And the BBB is very reluctant to say unfavorable things about members. The BBB has no teeth and is all but worthless.


3. Contact the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce


Ditto above comments.


4. Contact the Association of Online Academic
Excellence

Which will, of course, say wonderful things about Trinity, since Trinity operates it.


5. Contact the Society for Philosophy and Technology

Not familiar with this one, but probably the same.


6. Contact the Association of Private Colleges & Universities


Which, in spite of the protestations of the one-woman show that now claims to operate it, is another Trinity operation. It was started by Gus Payne, the original Trinity "founder". The current operator, whose name I don't recall, once threatened to sue me and a handful of other people, claimed to have reached her personal attorney on a Sunday afternoon, and was full of hot air... until we called her bluff, when she deflated and disappeared into the ether.


One thing is for certain. If Chip made the above statements about Harvard University, the university that Trinity College and University likened itself to, I bet that a very rapid court appearance would be the order of the day.

More likely, a cease-and-desist letter. Legitimate programs generally do not immediately rush into court against someone who says rude things about them, particularly in a relatively small-potatoes forum like degreeinfo or a.e.d; this was one of the big red flags about MIGS. When they sued Steve Levicoff instead of sending him a cease-and-desist letter, most everyone was clear that it was a desperate act by a questionable operation... and I think that even its staunchest defenders have seen the light in that regard.


Thanks again Chip. You have made a difference in a complete stranger’s life.
[/b]

No prob. Glad to help.

Now... Where did you end up enrolling? (Or are you still looking?


Please keep us informed...

Chip

 

Ohmygod!!! A student who was about to register in a degree mill, then read something that one of wrote, and changed his mind!

Quick - call Enrique!

(Well done, Chipster!)
___________________________

(It's an inside joke. If y'all don't know who Enrique is, just go to the MIGS forum on this board.)

 

With the litany that Trinity asked to check up on not once did they reference a legitimate accreditor. A big tip off and it would have been the first thing conveyed if the school was such an entity.

John