Job Discussion Forums

Guest · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2003 8:31 am Post subject: Faking it

Whilst in Thailand recently I came across certificate sellers on Khao San Road. I'd heard of them before but didn't realise just how extensive their services are. I browsed through a couple of folders. They have model certificates - foundation degrees, bachelors, masters, tefl courses - from hundreds of colleges and universities, all with different styles, and all looking pretty authentic. I would be fooled by any one of them.

So my question is, does anyone have any interesting stories about themselves or others faking certificates or otherwise fudging their credentials?

I'd like to make it clear right now that my qualifications are my own and I have no intention of buying any. My question is just out of curiosity.

MartinK · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 344

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

Here's one I heard from a colleague at a school in northern Poland a few years ago...
A CV arrived from a well qualified, MA, Dip TEFL etc, man who sought the opportunity to pursue Phd research and teach EFL in Poland. the school jumped at the chance and gave him a job. a week or two after arriving hhe was asked to present a seminar for less experienced teachers. My colleague took a front seat to see the show. the 'teacher' duly distributed a series of evidently sixth hand photocopies and started to babble about something he evidently new very little about. A credential check was instigated and he was found to have none at all. Red faces all round. He had not been checked, not been observed and was sacked and charged a daily fee for accommodation from that point on.
If you have the paperwork you should be able to do the job. If you can't walk the walk......don't chance it.
My colleague described the man's experience as akin to one who had, perhaps, taught a week or two in a summer school. He will now have trouble getting a job as his name is probably common knowledge to ather schools. Of course there are some schools......

MELEE · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2003 9:29 pm Post subject:

We had a teacher turn up with a faked International House CELTA. You see, she took the course, but failed. So she "doctered" her participation in course certificate to try to make it into a passed certificate. We have had many an International House grad and thought this certificate looks funny. Because she also had transcripts from 3 different universities in France (her father was French) and tried to tell us that in France they didn't give out proper degrees like they do in England (and everywhere else in the world) but just transcripts, we were particularly suspect. We contacted International House and the teacher left descretely.

guru · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 156 Location: Indonesia

Here in Indonesia, the students who can do so study abroad. It's not just for the prestige, it's for the authenticity of the degree. Most places in Indonesia are legit and students earn their degrees, but money can buy a lot of things here. I can't say that i've ever met someone who has faked credentials, but i know of someone who worked as an English teacher and was involved in criminal activities with young boys...then he bribed his way out of jail!!!!!!!!!!!! Twisted Evil

They should've locked him up for life!

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

I strongly suspect that a certain large EFL chain school that I used to work for in Japan arranged a fake degree for my former roomate. This is corraborated by the fact that he was in Japan long after his Working Holiday and Student visas were up.

I suspect (but not strongly) that this was not a unique occurance.

Hey, heresay, but what the hey. Wink

Capergirl · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2003 11:01 pm Post subject:

Hey Wolf boy, what's with the new avatar? Very Happy

Corey · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Posts: 112 Location: Canada

I thought this was going to be about fakin' it. Oh well.....

False documents won't do you much good as far as I can tell. Any business worth its salt will do a check. Plus, as mentioned, fakers are quickly found out.

Corey

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

in all the years i've been teaching only about 2 schools have ever checked my references....Corey have u ever taught outside Canada?

Capergirl · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 8:44 pm Post subject:

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Headline in the EDUCATION POST supplement to the SCMP, dated 6 September, 2003:

"FAKE DEGREES 'COMMONPLACE IN CVs"

Quote: "...An investigation in Australia by accounting firm PriceWaterhouse-Coopers found that as many as two out of three applicants for positions in the financial sector lied about their qualifications or claimed experience the had never had..."

I infer from this article that not only do our foreign English students cheat and lie about their achievements, but so do many of us!