You need to be aware of how to avoid diploma mills when looking for higher education online. A diploma mill is an organization that offers illegitimate diplomas and degrees. Many of these online schools awards academic degrees and diplomas that are not recognized by official educational accrediting bodies. Diploma Mills make money by selling printed degrees and supplying academic references and falsified transcripts. These illegitimate degrees range from bachelor’s degrees to doctoral degrees.
According to Ryan Singel of Wired Magazine, in the 1980s, the FBI’s Operation Dipscam targeted the fake diploma industry, shutting down 40 fake schools and securing more than 20 convictions.
You can spot a diploma mill by noticing if the organization frequently changes addresses, their degrees can be earned in far less time than normal (ex: less than six months), and there is no interaction with professors or faculty.
When choosing a higher education it is important that the university or college is accredited by the US Department of Education in order to avoid diploma mills.