Report lodged over fake certs

> Ministry urges affected universities to take matter to police

KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry lodged a police report yesterday against a syndicate selling fake university certificates to the public.

The ministry’s Director- General Datin Siti Hamisah Tapsir (pix) said the ministry had made a police report and had urged the affected universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Segi University College (SEGi), to take similar action.

“The ministry has also ordered UiTM and SEGi to make a police report,” she said in a statement.

A reporter from China Press went undercover as a potential buyer and contacted the syndicate, which had been blatantly promoting its services on Facebook.

According to China Press, a fake diploma from UiTM is sold at RM1,000 and a forged degree at RM2,000.

For SEGi certificates, it charges RM2,000 for a diploma, and RM3,000 for a degree.

The syndicate claimed that the fake certificates are bilingually produced and bore the seal of the institution and the signature of the chancellor. Customers can choose from 30 programmes available at the universities and will receive a scroll plus a transcript in two days.

The fabrication process only takes two hours and the package will be delivered a day after via mail.

Hamisah also urged any affected parties, especially those in the private sector, to contact the universities to verify any certification.

“The public and agencies should contact the respective institutions to check the authenticity of any certificate that has been issued to any individual,” she said.