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Recent investigations have uncovered an organized network of fake college websites designed to scam prospective students by posing as legitimate institutions. Many of the sites appear to be built with or supplemented by generative AI.
These sites are designed to:
- Collect tuition payments
- Harvest personal information
- Sell fake degrees
- Trick students into believing they’re enrolling in accredited programs
Some of the fake colleges may have names that are very similar to real institutions; i.e. Southeastern Michigan University (fake) vs. Eastern Michigan University (real). Others may be named after defunct colleges that closed their doors years ago.
Spotting a fake college website is becoming an essential skill, especially with how polished scam sites have become. However, a few patterns almost always give them away. Here are ten signs indicating that a college website might be fake.
- No .edu domain – Legitimate U.S. colleges almost always use a .edu domain. Fake sites may use .com, .net, .college, .education, .university, or variations such as .edu.co
- Missing, Vague, or Fake Accreditation – Real colleges list their accreditation clearly and link to recognized agencies, not fake accreditor websites. Check the college’s accreditation yourself in the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA databases.
- Unrealistic Promises – Scam colleges often use language that sounds too good to be true, like: “Earn a Degree in 3 Weeks” or “Guaranteed Job Placement.”
- No Campus Address (or only a P.O. box) and Generic Email Addresses (Gmail, Outlook) – A real college has a physical address and an email that ends in a .edu domain matching their website. If an address is listed, verify on Google Maps that it’s not a strip mall or empty lot.
- Suspicious Contact Info – A real college has a working phone number answered by helpful and knowledgeable staff. A scam site might only go to voicemail or be answered by someone who speaks broken English and uses high-pressure sales tactics.
- Poor Website Quality – Even slick-looking sites often have subtle issues such as grammar or spelling mistakes, poorly written sentences, broken links, stock photos of “students,” and no faculty directory. A real college will feature correct grammar, faculty bios, and real students.
- Use of AI – Images on fake sites often have blurry backgrounds and distorted limbs, hinting at the use of generative artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, paragraphs of text contain repetitive, grandiose and nonspecific language, characteristic of a chat bot’s writing.
- No Admissions Requirements – Fake colleges often let anyone enroll instantly, no transcript or application required. Even community colleges have some form of admissions process.
- Payment Red Flags – Scam sites often push upfront payments, offering steep discounts if you pay immediately, and accepting payment through unusual methods (PayPal, CashApp, crypto, or gift cards).
- No Presence Outside of Their Website – A real college has an extensive digital footprint of news articles, national rankings, and listings in educational directories. Caution: many of the fake colleges will set up a presence on social media sites including LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Inside Higher Ed recently uncovered 37 scam sites with these fake university names:
- Abraham International University
- Atlanta University of Georgia
- Baltimore Metropolitan University
- Boston Coast University
- Brookwood University
- California Center University
- California Imperial University
- California Lake University
- California Marymount University
- Central University of Manhattan
- City University of San Antonio
- City University of New Orleans
- Cleveland University of Ohio
- Crosby University
- Denver Liberty University
- Durham University of North Carolina
- Georgia City University
- Houston University of Texas
- Long Beach University California
- Los Angeles City University
- Martin Luther King University
- Massachusetts Central University
- Mid Island University
- New York Metropolitan University
- New York University of Business and Technology
- Newark University
- Oxnard University of California
- Premier University of Utah
- Sacramento Camellia City University
- Scottsdale University of Arizona
- Southeastern Michigan University
- Tacoma Washington State University
- University of McCordsville
- University of Wayne State Pennsylvania
- University of Woodland California
- Western University of Miami
- Westmoreland University of Virginia
Many of the sites seem to be part of a coordinated scam network, based on their use of identical language, the repetition of images, and other design similarities. These sites share templates, text, imagery, and even fake accrediting bodies, forming a connected ecosystem of deception.
If you’re evaluating a college and it isn’t a well-known name, always double check to make sure it’s a legitimate institution. For more information, see:
