PETALING JAYA: Syndicates selling fake degrees on social media for between RM1,500 and RM4,000 are ruining the credibility of bona fide educational institutions whose names are used in the scam, said National Association of Private Educational Institutions secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin.
While the latest figures are unavailable, Malaysian corporate fraud investigation service Akhbar & Associates revealed that in 2019, between 5% and 7% of jobseekers used fake degrees in engineering, mass communications, accounting, business, computer science and similar courses.
They said the prevalence of fake degrees has also damaged the integrity of the education system, leading to increased scrutiny by potential employers.
“Fake degrees devalue genuine ones and make it harder for legitimate graduates to get employed. The widespread use of fake degrees also raises ethical and legal issues and discourages genuine learning as people may see their dishonesty as a viable path to success.”
On Aug 1, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir warned that his ministry would lodge a police report on the sale of fake degrees.
“We will not compromise on acting against any public institutions of higher learning, private higher education institution, or individuals involved in such matters.
“The Higher Education Department has been monitoring the matter of fake degrees under the Private Educational Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555),” Zambry said.
Teh said while the ministry’s enforcement of stringent measures is commendable, it must result in serious consequences for those involved.
He said any institution found to be complicit must face severe penalties as well, including revocation of licences, hefty fines and prosecution to serve as a strong deterrent and signal that such malpractices will not be tolerated.
“If the name of any institution is being misused to sell fake degrees, then it is critical that we embrace technology to enhance the internal controls and verification processes.
“This will help prevent the issuance and acceptance of fake degrees, an important part of which should involve implementing advanced digital verification technologies,” he said.
Teh said despite the high costs, the temptation to take shortcuts and avoid the years required to complete a degree motivates some individuals to pay for fake degrees, adding that the belief that many employers do not thoroughly verify degrees further encourages their use.
“Those who use fake degrees are often unaware of the legal and ethical consequences of their actions.
“Using fake degrees is a misrepresentation that can lead to criminal charges of fraud or forgery, and can result in fines or imprisonment,” he said.
Universiti Teknologi Mara academic development director Assoc Prof Dr Suriyani Ariffin said over time, fake degrees have become harder to spot due to the sophisticated printing and design technologies in use.
“Fake degrees were previously easier to detect, but now they appear very authentic and are more readily available online.
“This is unfair to those who have worked hard to earn their qualifications, as they are now competing against fraudsters.”
Suriyani said companies may also be forced to incur higher expenses to carry out thorough background check
