Tackling certificate fraud and malpractice
Fraud impacts almost every industry in the world, and education is no different.
That’s why our regulator, Ofqual, recently brought together forty AOs – including Training Qualifications UK (TQUK) - with stakeholders from sectors such as security, first aid, beauty, and fire, to discuss fake certificates and other instances of qualification malpractice at its fraud prevention task force meeting.
Writing on LinkedIn, Emma Scott, Ofqual’s Director of Operations and Vocational Qualifications, states: “Together we focused on strengthening our approach to preventing qualification fraud – a challenge that requires collaborative solutions.
“Awarding organisations and regulators are united in their efforts to promote the value and protect the reputation of regulated qualifications. Employers and customers need to understand what sets regulated qualifications apart. A legitimate certificate confirms that someone has the necessary skills and experience to do their job.”
What is certificate fraud?
Certificate fraud is a form of malpractice that involves training providers issuing fake certificates to their learners or learners making certificates themselves.
Sometimes, these instances are quickly identified and resolved, and among the many measures we at TQUK take is to work with universities to identify fraudulent certificates that are used to gain access to higher education opportunities.
However, in some cases, fraudulent certificates are never identified, and learners (and the employers who they work for) continue to believe that their certificates are valid.
It’s an act of deception that not only makes learners feel foolish for the time and money they’ve spent earning that certificate but also creates a genuine threat to public safety.
Why does certificate fraud pose such a risk?
A real regulated certificate is more than just a nice thing to pop in a frame and hang on your wall; certificates recognise achievement and validate that a learner can really do the things they say they can.
Why's that so important? Simple really: if a builder has been issued a fraudulent certificate, they haven't really achieved their qualification. As a result, they lack the knowledge and skills they need to do their job, so when they come to tile that roof or build that wall, they may not do it properly, presenting risk of collapse.
But that’s not the end of it. First aiders who think they know how to perform CPR may not administer the treatment properly and firefighters may not follow the proper procedure, creating genuine risk to life. Even something as comparatively trivial as hairdressing presents a risk: imagine heading into a salon expecting a fresh cut and ending up with a mullet!
Very different examples of risk, but risk nonetheless. As Scott writes on LinkedIn: "when people use fake or fraudulently claimed certificates to pretend they have the required training and expertise it places the public at risk of harm.
"Employers and customers need to understand what sets regulated qualifications apart. A legitimate certificate confirms that someone has the necessary skills and experience to do their job."
What does TQUK do to prevent certificate fraud?
Here at TQUK we take certificate fraud very seriously, but we can't fight it alone.
Information sharing is a vital part of helping the industry counter fraud and other instances of malpractice. Everything learners, training providers and our fellow awarding organisations tell us helps pinpoint trends that could aid faster identification of possible certificate fraud cases and enable more efficient action.
It’s why we actively encourage anyone who sees suspicious activity at a training provider to let us know.
How to spot a fake certificate
TQUK certificates are designed to be unique and secure, so validating authenticity is as simple as possible. Our certificates always feature:
the TQUK logo
a watermark featuring the TQUK logo that's only visible by blacklight
the Ofqual logo
the names and signatures of TQUK’s Managing Director and Responsible Officer
and other elements we’ll keep secret!
If a certificate claiming to be from TQUK is missing any of the above, there’s a good chance it’s fraudulent.
We pride ourselves on our procurement processes, which offer further risk mitigation. The paper we print certificates on is specially developed by a trusted partner, and securely delivered to us. We order in bulk to reduce the number of deliveries and keep the paper in a secure location within our office, so only our staff can access it.
Our e-certificates are no different and are kept on secure servers by our web developers. As a further precaution against fraud, each certificate can be verified via our website.
What is Ofqual doing to prevent certificate fraud?
Ofqual has outlined five key steps it will take to combat certificate fraud. They can be seen here and are listed below too:
work with other industry licensing organisations, sector regulators and government agencies to tackle qualification fraud and, where necessary, work with appropriate enforcement agencies to deal with associated criminal activity
issue a Fraud Prevention Advice Note to AOs so that they can better address the risk of fraud in accordance with their conditions of recognition
explore methods for intelligence sharing and collaborative use of data between awarding organisations
help people spot qualification fraud and deter fraud from happening by making clear the consequences
make it easier to report suspicious activity and concerns.
The Advice Note mentioned in point two has been issued to all awarding organisations and outlines how we can take steps against fraud and malpractice:
identify and understand steps to mitigate against opportunities for qualification fraud where possible
introduce tighter controls for how assessments are delivered
proactively detect and swiftly act on fraudulent activity
keep their approach under review and adapt to changing circumstances
provide evidence of their approach upon request.
Each of these is a step we’re taking and will continue to develop and refine.
What can you do to prevent certificate fraud?
If you suspect qualification or certificate fraud, please report it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a TQUK qualification or not, we’ll take the necessary steps and report it to Ofqual.
If you believe the instance is criminal, please report it to the police as well. It can also be helpful to get in touch with sector bodies who can provide the right guidance for their specific areas.
Regulated qualifications are a critical part of any robust skills ecosystem. By working together, we can keep it that way.
