Fraudulent online GEDs and high school diplomas are a problem, and many states, government organizations, colleges, and educational institutions are taking action against frauds involving fake GEDs and degrees.

In Long Island, New York, Robert Collins offered fraudulent at-home GED tests, claiming falsely that these at-home tests awarded a GED. Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo prosecuted Collins, who must serve a jail sentence and pay restitution.

A Westland, Michigan woman who applied for financial aid for herself and others at several community colleges is facing charges of fraud for falsely reporting that she earned a GED and receiving thousands of dollars in financial aid.

Similarly, three former employees of Vatterot College in Kansas City, Missouri, were charged with 37 criminal counts, for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Education by applying for financial aid for students who had not received a GED or high school diploma. Only students who have received a GED or high school diploma are eligible for federal financial aid.

The GED is an important program for people who did not graduate high school and need better opportunities for the future. Fraudulent GEDs and false GED reporting are harmful to the educational system and to individuals seeking the knowledge and skills to succeed.

Employers, colleges, and government agencies don’t accept “diplomas” bought through online sites where the only requirement is an online test or life experience. Why? Because a cat can go online and buy that kind of diploma. At the GED Academy, an online study program that prepares you for the real GED, we hear a lot of stories from people who spent hundreds of dollars on a “high school diploma” from an online site, only to find out it was worthless.

John, from Lynbrook, New York, wanted to become a cop. He bought a “diploma” from a website, not realizing that they were only selling him a piece of paper. He found out that colleges and employers wouldn’t take it. Kimberly, the mother of two boys, was working at a school. She bought a “diploma” online for her job, only to find out that it was no good. She lost her job because she didn’t have an accepted high school equivalency diploma.

The actual GED exam is taken at an official test center. When you pass, the high school equivalency diploma is issued by your state department of education. The GED is accepted by almost all U.S. employers and colleges, including the U.S. military and police forces around the country. The American Council on Education (ACE), the organization that develops the GED exam, warns against fraudulent online “diplomas,” which cost unsuspecting people between $200 and $1,200, but are worth nothing.

If you type ‘GED’ into Google, legitimate information resources come up, but the first things you see are probably paid advertisements from ‘high schools’ offering online courses. If you read the fine print they don’t actually offer a GED (despite the ad’s headline), because the GED can’t be taken online. Instead, legitimate-sounding high schools with professional-looking websites offer you a diploma and claim that they’re accredited.
The questions to ask are: What is a diploma? What is accreditation?
A diploma is simply a paper that says you accomplished a certain academic feat: graduated high school, passed the GED, or graduated college. The value of a diploma depends on the academic requirements of the institution awarding it. If the academic requirements of an institution are simply answering a few questions online, a very low value is probably placed on that diploma by employers and colleges.
Accreditation is the other issue. Accreditation means that a school meets certain academic standards created by the educational body that is accrediting it. Again, you need to look at what academic standards are acceptable to the accrediting group. If simply answering a few questions online meets the academic standards of an accrediting group, then the accrediting group is probably not widely accepted by colleges and employers. Colleges and employers want to know that your GED or diploma means you proved your abilities.
Companies that provide diplomas for little or no work are called diploma mills, and their business is basically selling fraudulent diplomas for cash, costing from $200 to upwards of $1,000. Defrauded students lose their money, and they could face serious consequences for using a fake diploma on a job application. William Hillman was lucky that the consequences from his experience weren’t too severe. He spent $225 on a life experience diploma from an online service. “I got the diploma, only it turned out not to be a real one. And they checked up on the school at work, and well, I didn’t get the job [I was trying to get],” he says. “I learned my lesson, if they promise a diploma online they’re a fraud.”
How do you know if an online high school or education service is legitimate? Here are a few simple facts:
1.    No legitimate high school diploma can be offered entirely through an online test based on “life experience.”
2.    Real online high schools offer 1-year or 2-year programs, never a 1-week or 1-month delivery.
3.    Diploma mills usually advertise diploma verification services by phone or fax. Real educational services are more concerned with coursework than diploma verification.
4.    Online GED preparation programs can provide a diploma more quickly, but you must take the GED exam administered by your state.
5.    The GED exam cannot be taken online.
Legitimate online high schools exist, but sometimes they’re hard to distinguish from fraudulent ones. Ask yourself: Does this school require me to prove my abilities through academic coursework and testing? If I were hiring someone, would I be satisfied that this diploma proved their ability?

Fake GED diploma scams are a growing problem as the job market becomes more competitive and demanding. The pressing need for GEDs gives scammers an opening. So, beware and fight back.

Recently, New York Attorney General Mario Cuomo has gone after Robert Collins for reportedly offering fake at-home GEDs. The real GED cannot be earned in an online or at-home test. Cuomo says: “This man has repeatedly preyed upon Long Island and New York City residents who are simply trying to better themselves and increase their career opportunities.”

Meanwhile, fake online GED websites are an even bigger problem. KBJR in Deluth, Minnesota reports on an online website which offers a diploma and school records for $300 and an online test. “Most reputable companies will not accept a diploma or a GED from an online company; they’ll only accept the GED through the state of Minnesota,” states Barb Grieman of the Better Business Bureau.

What do these two reported GED frauds have in common? The certificates they award are based on online or at-home tests, not on the GED exam, which can only be taken at an approved test center and awarded by your state department of education.

The GED is not too hard, but it does test your real skills and abilities. That’s why employers and colleges accept it. The real GED is carefully designed and administered to show that you can demonstrate high-school level skills. Legitimate programs help you study online and at home, but no one can offer a GED diploma except your state department of education.

If you learn about a fake GED diploma scam, or if you were the victim of a fake GED diploma scam, make your story known, and stop others from wasting their money on fake GEDs.