Degree duplicity

The Internet availability of forgeries, as well as diplomas from unaccredited universities, is beginning to reach a critical point, says John Bear, an expert on diploma mills and fake-diploma operations. The emergence of fake accrediting agencies is a recent twist. "Not only is the scope in dollar value getting immense, but the level at which it happens is increasingly sophisticated," he says. "Ten years ago there were half a dozen fake accrediting agencies.... Now I list 160."

"People ask, 'Why doesn't government close these diploma mills and websites down?' " says Alan Contreras, who runs the office of degree authorization for Oregon. "We can't even find them. We don't have the resources. [...]"

-- http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0610/p15s02-lehl.html