Online Degree Scams

Posted in Uncategorized by admin on September 11, 2005

Online Degree Scams


The Truth About Computer Scams


The Truth About Computer Scams


$1.99


This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from The Truth About Avoiding Scams (9780132333856) by Steve Weisman. Available in print and digital formats.   What you must know about Internet scams: from phishing and Trojan horses to fake death threats!   After installed on your computer, Trojan horses monitor all activity and transmit that information back to the scammer, who uses it to access your bank accounts, credit cards, brokerage accounts, or other online business. This information can even be used to establish credit in your name that the scammer will use without paying. To combat this threat…

Online Education For Dummies


Online Education For Dummies


$21.99


From admission to graduation-your personal guide to studying online Online Education For Dummies explains the ins and outs of attending a virtual classroom, and provides you with the tools you need to hone your skills or obtain additional certification and degrees. This practical reference not only helps you get the most out of an online course, but also offers a wealth of advice to help you pick the one that matches your interests and needs. Identifies the software and hardware needed to study online Reveals how to get financial aid, transfer credits, and manage online time Explains how to locate legitimate online programs and avoid scams Whether you want to earn a degree or just increase your knowledge through an online course, Online Education For Dummies is the only guide you need.

The Truth About Avoiding Scams, Adobe Reader


The Truth About Avoiding Scams, Adobe Reader


$20.99


This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. “You should read this book and take Steve Weisman's advice. And from the money and assets he helps you protect, take a few dollars and buy a copy for a good friend.” –Alan Colmes, Syndicated radio talk show host and co-host of Hannity and Colmes on Fox News Channel    Scams are everywhere…now discover exactly how to protect yourself!   ·        The truth about recognizing today’s newest scams–online and off ·        The truth about safeguarding your money, health, and reputation ·        The truth about phishing, vishing, pharming, slamming, and more   Scams have always been with us, and they always will be – except now, technology makes scammers' jobs even easier, enabling them to reach out from anywhere around the world, and take advantage of more people than ever before. No matter how smart you think you are, you can easily become a victim: in fact, scammers have discovered that educated, sophisticated individuals are among their best targets. The Truth About Avoiding Scams arms you with everything you need to protect yourself: real, up-to-the-minute knowledge, and the “internal sensors” you need to sniff out even the subtlest, most well-crafted scams. Consumer finance expert and nationally syndicated radio host Steve Weisman offers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information about every type of fraud, from identity scams to computer-based fraud, travel and health scams to phony educational loans and scholarships. Weisman exposes the new epidemic of “affinity fraud,” where “people just like you” target you based on your ethnicity, racial group, church, club, or fraternal organization. You'll find up-to-the-minute guidance on avoiding illegitimate online dating services; “cramming” and other phone frauds; tax and Social Security scams; employment, home repair, and investment scams; and a whole lot more.   Unlike some books on scams, this one's simple to read, simple to use, up to date, and complete: the only guide you need to keep yourself safe!

Scams!


Scams!


$14.21


This book is in New – Excellent condition


Six Degrees of Separation


Six Degrees of Separation


$7.65


Triumphant translation of John Guare’s award-winning play stars Will Smith as Paul, the slick and possibly dangerous con artist who poses as Sidney Poitier’s son in order to infiltrate the household of snooty art dealers living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Donald Sutherland, Stockard Channing, Ian McKellen, Mary Beth Hurt also star. 112 min. Standard and Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: Engl…

The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business


The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business


$14.00


Getting an MBA is an expensive choice-one almost impossible to justify regardless of the state of the economy. Even the elite schools like Harvard and Wharton offer outdated, assembly-line programs that teach you more about PowerPoint presentations and unnecessary financial models than what it takes to run a real business. You can get better results (and save hundreds of thousands of dollars) by s…

212: The Extra Degree


212: The Extra Degree


$9.85


212° the extra degree captures the essence of excellence in an unforgettable way… At 211° water is hot. At 212°, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train. The one extra degree makes the difference. In the original 212° the extra degree softcover, the simple 212° concept is illustrated through a clear introduction and then supported by a …

Home Staging for Profit: How to Start and Grow a Six Figure Home Staging Business in 7 Days or Less OR Secrets of Home Stagers Revealed So Anyone Can Start a Home Based Business and Succeed


Home Staging for Profit: How to Start and Grow a Six Figure Home Staging Business in 7 Days or Less OR Secrets of Home Stagers Revealed So Anyone Can Start a Home Based Business and Succeed


$29.95





How To Avoid Wasting Money on Online Degree Scams

For every person hoping to achieve success and get an online education, there are many more companies and people trying to scam unsuspecting individuals. It goes without saying that these should be avoided at all cost. Of course, the best approach to avoiding online degree scams is to know your product before you buy.

Prospective online students should be on the lookout for things inside the degree offer that tout the benefits of distance learning, but provide little in the way of support for the student. A degree based on life experience alone may often not be worth the paper it is printed on. This can often be very hard for a "graduate" of diploma mills to understand, but most human resource managers would give you a blank stare if you mentioned this as a competitive qualification for employment.

A "money back guarantee" can mean nothing if the small legalese boilerplate says that only in extreme circumstances can you actually get your money back. If the work materials are out of date, poorly written, or the grading standards too harsh or unfair, to whom might you complain? The job market right now is extremely competitive. Gaining any kind of degree or credential that has questionable legitimacy can reduce your chances of being hired, promoted or recognized in your respective field.

Think about what you would do if your money was charged or your check for the "degree" cashed, and you received no diploma, certificate, or any documentation at all showing educational progress. Can you afford to sue a website or a company? Ask yourself before you enroll in any online program if there is not a more legitimate and trustworthy institution available. Why would you want to furnish identity information such as your name, address and telephone number (and IP address), credit, and social security data to strangers over the Internet anyway? Can you hire an attorney to travel to the place where the business is headquartered? Do you have a fine understanding of the legalities of suing a company that accepts money for 7-day high school equivalency courses? It's likely they are ten steps ahead of you for any legal recourse.

Shop around and see why the "big" online schools near you don't offer the same program, or call them and ask why. Often a look at the fine print will tell the story. Are there foreign or offshore company names, paragraph after paragraph of disclaimers, unlisted faculty, or minute clauses that state that the work being paid for is only coaching or instruction toward the goal of a degree and cannot be termed education? In order to prove you passed a course with a suspect, or possibly fraudulent, online company, could you produce screenshots of every question you answered correctly? Could you prove that these programs came from the company listed on your credit card? If you don't receive a quality teaching experience, have you really achieved anything more than a piece of paper?

If you feel there is an online service you want to check, research the "school" or find discussion boards that tell about other student experiences. Do not trust testimonials from that site. Contact your state board of education or the county education offices where that school claims to be located. Ask the personnel there if they know of the school or have processed any inquiries or complaints. Keep in mind that a high school diploma obtained in another state may be legal there, but not where you live or work.

The worst thing about education scams is they injure the very people who are most deserving of help; the ones who are trying to better themselves and do what's needed to get ahead. It is recommended that students act in their own defense first and contact local public school counseling offices or boards of education for advice first.

David Dunlap

View all articles by David Dunlap



 Get Your Degree Online


Get Your Degree Online


$0.04


Put your computer to the test with this insider's guide to getting the most out of distance learning.Join the millions of students already earning their degrees online with expert tips found in Get Your Degree Online. Providing the best distance-learning programs available to date, Get Your Degree Online is much more than a directory: it explains the many ins and outs of attending a virtual classroom to help you succeed in realizing your education goals, from self-improvement, to certification, to earning a Bachelor's degree or an MBA. Authors Matthew and April Hel, provide a wealth of advice to choosing a program outside university walls that matches your interests and needs. They also include a valuable checklist of questions to determine which online programs are legitimate and which are simply fly-by-night scams devised to waste your precious time and tuition money. Profiling more than 350 online programs, Get Your Degree Online provides students of all ages with key data on admissions criteria, technology requirements, financial aid opportunities, comparison charts, and cross-indices. Get Your Degree Online also teaches you how to: Find out if a program is accredited (and explains why accreditation is important) Get financial aid for your online education Use credit banks and transfer credits Collect material for a portfolio And much more! As the demand for virtual classrooms continues to accelerate, so does the need for a top-notch guide to navigating through this fast-growing, and often perplexing, service. Get Your Degree Online is the only guide you need to make the most out of your distance learning experience.