Several websites offering fake British degrees for up to £1,000 each have been closed down following a joint operation in the UK and US. BBC News website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2829237.stm
It is big news, and (now it can be told!) this Forum had a significant role. Last fall, I asked for donors to contribute to buying the information for sale by a "deep throat" employee in Romania, and a dozen or so of us formed a partnership. That information was supplied, via meetings of one partnership member (the retired FBI agent who ran their DipScam) with people from the FTC, who were aware of the phony drivers license portion of the Romanian operation, but not the much larger phony degree portion. So "our" information was ultimately shared with the British people, and Bob's your uncle. But we also need to remember that these Romanian/Israeli people operated very successfully for several years without benefit of websites, relying entirely on spamming (4 to 5 million a month) and very skilled telemarketing. So this will be a blow to them, but very likely not a death knell.
Another update for TenSpeed to make: At http://www.degree.net/news.htm , change "Read it and weep at www.ecdol.org/ecdolnet/ecdolnet.htm " to "Search in vain for it and smile."
distinguished alumni This mill has some distinguished alumni: the Democratic candidate for the US Congress, District 21, in 2002; a rabbi; a Psychology Professor and Counselor at one accredited college; and an Assistant Director of Financial Aid at another. We know about them because each of them at one time listed the fake degree on a Website. The Assistant Director got a Bachelor's degree from Glencullen University in Ireland. When a reporter told him that Glencullen University doesn't exist, he was "stunned" and said, "I had even thought about taking a trip next year to visit my alma mater." http://www.overthrow.com/lsn/news.asp?articleID=3341
Value of RA schools What will be the value of the RA schools if all of the unaccredited schools are shut down?
http://luther_news.tripod.com/breakingnews.htm Never mind the theological stuff--I do not promote doctrinally unsound simulacra of Lutheranism--but here's more Palmers Greenery and Glenculleniana.
There was an article about this in The Times today: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,174,00.html "Bogus degree website shut" You can't access it without a subscription, but here's one you can read free: http://www.newmediazero.com/news/story.asp?id=240537
The best part about the Lutheran with the phony doctorate is that he is the Rev. Arnold Kromphardt. He becomes the third entry in my forthcoming (about 200 years at this rate) Annals of Amusing Hyphenation. So far I have: A snowmobile magazine, Snotrak, hyphenated as: Snot- rak A swimming pool owners magazine, Poolife: Poo- life And now the Reverend Arnold Krom- phardt
OK, they've shut down their US Websites; now can we shut down their Israeli Website? http://www.connect.co.il/degree/
A couple of entries, from my daughter, in the unfortunate hyphenation world ("The Krom- phardt Awards") "He is a psychothe- rapist." "She put the fig- urine on the mantelpiece." "He was charged with mans- laughter."
