A website featuring Massachusetts Central University, a non-existent institution, with unresponsive contact information, stock photos of students and faculty members, images of other university buildings, and an address associated with UMass Boston had recently resurfaced after being shut down previously. The fraudulent online Boston-based university claims to have over 10,000 students, over 1,200 faculty members, and 16 schools offering various programs, but it is completely fictitious. Professors listed under the online faculty list actually can be found at other universities and the school’s referenced accreditation does not exist.

Education officials have confirmed that MCU is posing as a legitimate university to sell diplomas to individuals seeking a higher education degree from a U.S. college or university. Experts refer to MCU and others like it as “diploma mills,” institutions that exist merely to hand out fake or fraudulent diplomas to those willing to pay for them in order to lie to potential employers or others about their education. The site has since been taken down.

This is another instance stressing the importance of thorough background checks, including education verifications, using an accredited firm that has the resources and knowledge to understand when credentials are not what they appear to be.

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As always, Hire Image is here to help. Please contact us if you have any questions about how this may affect your own background screening practices.