While employers and recruiters tend to be rigorous in checking a candidate’s work history, they often take academic credentials at face value. A recent case from New York City is a reminder that a title is not always what it seems.

On May 26, 2010, the NY City Hall Examiner website reported on a project manager who had joined the city’s Department of Sanitation. As discovered by a city-mandated employment background check, the photocopied degree presented by this individual was from a college he had never attended. The individual was suspended without pay and now faces criminal charges related to possession of a forged instrument and offering a false instrument for his presentation.

There is a thriving pseudo-documentation trade. Websites proudly advertise realistic diplomas, authentic-looking transcripts, and even fake GED certificates. While this case involved someone falsely presenting themselves as a graduate of a legitimate university, employers should also be on the lookout for purported degrees from imaginary institutions. The Internet is fertile ground for diploma mills and other services that deliver quick degrees for quick money. While some people may be blatantly inflating their profile for a competitive market, others, feeling confident in the skills they have acquired outside of academic institutions, might view formal certification as a technicality that needs to be addressed. At least one “instant” degree provider tells potential clients that by applying for a degree, they are making a legal statement that they already have the experience for which it will be awarded.

Regardless of the reason, the issue of questionable credentials is prevalent enough that several federal agencies have banded together to urge education verification, posting “Telltale Signs of a False Degree” on the Federal Education Commission’s website. Trade. Employers are advised to be on the lookout for “quick” titles, similar-sounding school names, titles out of sequence, and titles claimed from schools in places other than the applicant’s current work or home. These flags do not always indicate a false title, however, they are a signal not to accept the credential at face value.

The FTC strongly encourages potential employers to verify educational credentials, even if they sound credible, by verifying both the legitimacy of the institution and the applicant’s enrollment. The risks are significant. A person may end up in a position with responsibilities for which he or she is not qualified, endangering other people and property and exposing the company to liability. Additionally, a person who is comfortable with this type of deception may have other characteristics that make them a less than desirable employee.

The simplest way for a business to reduce the risk of liability and embarrassment is, as in the case of the New York Department of Sanitation, to conduct a thorough background check that includes education verification. The most cost- and time-effective approach is to hire a reputable, dependable background check company to perform this check. Screening services have quick access to accurate and responsive sources and are staffed by professionals who have the required training and experience.

Fake degrees are on the rise, and with them the risk of not verifying academic credentials.