List of Fake Online Universities in USA | Unaccredited Universities

· Updated Sep 8, 2024 · 9 minutes · by Kamerpower Content Team ·

List of Fake Online Universities in USA | Unaccredited Universities. Many people do not know this but there is a long list of fake online universities sprouting up here and there especially in the US and UK, where online learning is popular. 

We will be writing about the list of fake online universities that many people looking for an online degree do not know about. You will know how to identify them from here. 

Considering the popularity of distance learning and easy accessibility of online degree whereby you can gain an education from a prestigious institution without having to visit the institution physically, ascertaining a fake online universities is very complex.

List of Common Fake Online Universities in USA

• Louisiana Baptist University.
• Washington International University.
• Concordia College and University.
• Madison University. 
• American Central University
• Christian Leadership University
• Clarksville Theological School.
• American Management University.
• Frederick Taylor University
• Bienville University
• University of Beverly Hills.

Do you know that all the above online universities mentioned are not real online universities? Do you know that any degree you get from there is useless because they are not accredited by any recognized body?

This article will help you learn more about fake online universities and also get a comprehensive list of common online Universities in USA that are offering unaccredited degree programs.

List of Fake Online Universities in USA | Unaccredited Universities

How do I know if an online college is legitimate?

To find out if a school is accredited, visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website. Here you will find links to all 6 regional accreditation institutions and can discover if your school is accredited by one of the recognized accrediting agencies.

How do you find out if my degree is accredited?

Some schools list all of their accreditations on one convenient page, but some universities list accreditation by degree on individual program sites. If you can’t find information about accreditation on your program’s website, then contact that program’s coordinator to check if your school maintains accreditation.

What is a Fake Online Universities?

Fake Online Universities also know as Blacklisting universities or Diploma mills universities are academic institutions operating without any recognized accreditation body for higher education. Most of these universities give students degree in exchange for money. 

How to Know A Fake Online University in USA

Most students fail to verify an institution’s accreditation status before applying to them. This has actually brought the “had I known” statement from students that fall victim to this. So, here is how to verify a fake or unaccredited university:

1. No “.edu” URL.

“The ‘.edu.’ URL is used throughout the higher education industry in the United States in particular,” A program with a “.com” or “.net” address should cause a prospective student to dig deeper into whether it gives fake degrees.

2. Errors on the Official Website

Another red flag of a fake online university in the USA is that it contains consistent grammatical errors and bad English structure or construction.

3. No Direct Contact Address

A sign that an online university program is fake is when you find it hard to locate the university’s official website, address, or contact phone number. Aside from that, if the contact e-mail address or the details on the resource look a little suspicious, there is every tendency that the university and the online programs offered there are fake.

4. Fake Accreditation Body

One proof that an online university is fake is if the accreditation status of the university is not legit. Accreditation is an authorized verification from a legal body signifying that a university’s program or programs met a certain standard of quality. Every real university must be nationally or regionally accredited by an agency of the Ministry of Education in that particular country.

5. The Fake Online Universities Demand Advanced Tuition Fees

If an online institution requires a lot of money upfront before you even know you were admitted, it is surely not a legit online program. Generally, universities don’t mandate you to pay for the complete tuition fee before starting your study; it is usually optional. And aside from it being optional, tuition fees are paid installment each semester.

6. Earning a Degree is Very Easy

The fastest and easiest way most fraudsters operating fake online programs in the USA lure their victims is by making the admission process very easy or operating on a free admission policy. Note, that doesn’t mean that any university that operates on a free admission policy is fake, No!

7. Fake Accreditation Body

One proof that an online university is fake is if the accreditation status of the university is not legit. Accreditation is an authorized verification from a legal body signifying that a university’s program or programs met a certain standard of quality.

8. Fake Familiar Name

This is another red flag that shows a fake online university in the USA. Oftentimes, fraudsters create fake online degree programs using the name of some reputable universities. They attach ‘Harvard’, Cambridge, Oxford, or any other globally recognized university to their name just to trick people into thinking they are affiliated with the university.

What can I do with an Online University Degree?

You cannot do anything with a degree from a fake university. A degree from a fake university is not recognized and it is as good as useless. This means that it cannot help you to secure a job or advance further for a graduate program in that field of study.

List of Popular Fake Online Universities in USA

1. Frederick Taylor University

Frederick Taylor University is another university that offers unaccredited online degree programs in USA. The university is a private institution of higher learning to offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Management and Business Administration, through distance learning and online methodologies. This university claims to be charged with the mandate of giving endeavor high-quality programs, teaching excellence, and exceptional student services.

2. Washington International University

Washington International University is an unaccredited institution of higher education founded in 1994 and currently incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. It is a private, non-traditional, non-campus, international distance learning cyber-university that has the Washington Educational Organization Inc. as its financial arm.

3. Madison University

Another university offering non-accredited or fake online degree programs in the USA is Madison University. Madison is a non-accredited distance learning university based in Gulfport, Mississippi. At the university, tuition is paid per degree, not per course, credit, or academic term. There are discounts for different degrees or for recommending any enrollees. However, the university appears to have enrolled more than 39,000 students from around the world.

4. University of Beverly Hills

The University of Beverly Hills was one of the known fake online universities in USA that runs an unaccredited school of arts and sciences. The university’s main facility was located in Beverly Hills delivering on-site and distance education programs, with a lack of association to a campus, arts center, or laboratory facilities.

5. American Central University

American Central University (ACU) was a non-accredited distance learning private, the non-profit university approved by the state of Wyoming in 2004. The Oregon Degree Authorization Office has confirmed that the institution could be operated from Malaysia. American Central University stated to be a part of the Mina Resource/Mina Management Institute in Malaysia.

6. Clarksville Theological School

Clarksville Theological School is a seminary in Clayton, North Carolina. Established in Clarksville, Tennessee, it was closed in 1982 through court action after it was found that the program did not conform with state requirements for the award of an academic degree.

7. Christian Leadership University

The university has an accreditation from Christian Accreditation International. The institution is an independent, non-profit institution headquartered in Cheektowaga, New York. with students from over 127 countries all around the country. The school offers various types of Associates’s, Bachelors’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs along with Certificate programs.

Some of the common fields are of master M.B.S. Master of Biblical Studies, M.C.A. Master of Christian Arts, M.C.C.Master of Christian Counseling, M.C.E. Master of Christian Entrepreneurship, M.C.L. Master of Christian Leadership, M.D.H. Master of Divine Healing, M.Div. Master of Divinity, M.I. Master of Intercession, etc.

What are the Unaccredited/Fake Online Universities in USA?

Although the United States of America houses the top online world-best universities that boast of high-quality education to both its citizens and international students, there are however some institutions that are not accredited.

Below is the List:

1. American University of Hawaii.
2. Ames Christian University Florida.
3. Bienville University Woodville, Mississippi
4. Cal Southern University
5. Christian Leadership University New York
6. Delta International University of New Orleans.
7. Frederick Taylor International University Hawaii; California.
8. Columbus University, Picayune, Mississippi
9. American Bible College University Arizona
10. American Central University Wyoming
11. University of Northern Washington
12. University of NorthWest
13. American Century University New Mexico
14. American Coastline University
15. University of the Nations
16. Frederick Taylor University California
17. Friends International Christian University Florida; California
18. Georgia Christian University Norcross, Georgia
19. International American University California; Nepal.
20. International Bible University Norwalk, California; Carpinteria, California.
21. Monticello University
22. Pacific Southern University
23. Columbia State University
24. Commonwealth Open University Virgin Islands
25. Concordia College and University
26. University of Beverly Hills
27. Tennessee Christian University
28. Washington International University
29. LaSalle University Louisiana
30. Life Christian University Tampa, Florida
31. Louisiana Baptist University Louisiana.
32. Louisiana Christian University Lake Charles, Louisiana.
33. Madison University Gulfport, Mississippi
34. University of North America
35. University of Northern Virginia
36. Vancouver University Worldwide.
37. Lacrosse University.

List of Fake College Accreditation Agencies

• Board of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA).
• Council of Online Higher Education.
• Central States Consortium of Colleges & Schools
• Distance and Online Universities Accreditation Council (DOUAC).
• Distance Learning Quality Assurance Agency (DLQAA)
• European Accreditation Board of Higher Education (EABHE)
• Global Accreditation Bureau (GAB)
• Accrediting Commission International (ACI).
• American Association for Higher Education and Accreditation (AAHEA).
• Association of Accredited Bible Schools
• Distance Learning International Accreditation Association (DEIAA)
• Association of Distance Learning Programs (ADLP)
• Association of Private Colleges and Universities
• Central American Council of Accreditation (CACA)
• Council for Distance Education.
• Accreditation Panel for Online Colleges and Universities (APTEC).
• Association for Online Academic Excellence
• International Accreditation Association for Online Education (IAAFOE)
• Global Accreditation Commission for Distance Education (GACDE)
• International Accreditation Commission (IAC)
• International Association Council of Engineering Professionals (IACEP)
• Accreditation Council for Distance Education (ACTDE).
• Accreditation Council for Online Academia (ACOHE)
• International Accreditation Commission for Online Universities (IACOU) (Kingston).
• International Accreditation Commission for Online Educational Institutions (IACOEI).
• American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)
• International Accreditation Organization (IAO)
• International Council on Education (ICE).
• Association for Online Academic Accreditation
• American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions
• American Association of Drugless Practitioners (ADP)
• Global Accredited Council for Business Association (GACBA)
• Distance Learning International Accreditation Association (DEIAA)
• Global Accreditation Council for Business Education (GACBE).
• American Council of Private Colleges and Universities
• Distance Learning Quality Assurance Agency (DLQAA).
• Global Accreditation Council for Online Academia
• International Commission for Higher Education
• International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU).
• Association for Online Excellence.

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