You are working hard toward your college degree. You may spend four or more years trying to earn your bachelor’s degree. Meanwhile, another person who has never set foot on a college campus will, in just a few days, receive their Ph.D. from Harvard. Sound fair?

There are many Web sites out there boasting “Get Your Degree In Just 10 Days!” Some sites claim they are simply humor Web sites and their authentic-looking degrees are for fun only. Others claim that based upon your “life experiences,” they can grant you an appropriate degree from a university. Others will take your word that you graduated from Harvard, but spilled coffee on your degree – and will be happy to mail you a “replacement” degree.

Customdegrees.com challenges you to compare their price for a college degree to that of Harvard’s or Yale’s. You notice collegedegrees.com does seem to offer a Ph.D. for a small price. Prices range from $199 for a high school diploma to $599 for a Ph.D. The site also offers associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in any major you want.

Think it sounds a little fishy? Magic Mill, a diploma mill at www.boxfreeconcepts.com/magicmill, assures its customers that “no one will doubt YOUR scholarship when you proudly display your Magic Mill diploma!” In fact, Magic Mill claimed that it is the leader in this “legitimate” field.

“Trust us, our operation is the oldest, largest and best around,” boasts the Web site. “We opened our original mill [Ye Olde Degree Mill] in 1781 … Now we’re Magic MIll – on the World Wide Web – but with the same exacting standards your grandfather knew!”

In case potential customers have any concerns about the legitimacy and success rate of such degrees, Magic Mill claims, “Over the centuries we’ve mailed fake diplomas to some of history’s greatest figures.”

Degrees are not the only academic credentials that paying customers can purchase online. Many Web sites and diploma mills offer degree “packages,” that include transcripts (choose your own GPA!) and letters of recommendation.

Magic Mill encourages customers to “add honors for that special touch!” and “Date your diploma for whenever seems right!”

Many colleges across the country are catching on to these scams. In an attempt to reduce the likelihood of falling for a fake degree, university admissions offices have updated their registration processes. Many colleges now require official transcripts to be mailed directly from the university or high school from which they were issued.

NIU’s Office of Admissions does not accept transcripts or diplomas that are not sent directly from the home institution. This rule applies to both students wishing to transfer to NIU as well as faculty seeking employment at the university, said Director of Admissions Robert Burk. Although he cannot recall any such incidents occurring at NIU, the university is well aware that the problem exists.

NIU subscribes to a service that does graduation checks on incoming students and faculty, Burk said. He also said that employers can use this service to check on the credentials of future employees who claim to have graduated from NIU.

While universities have been upping their standards, diploma mills have been on their feet, also. Colleges want to verify degrees? Fine, according to many diploma mills who have now set up a phone number that university administrators can call to “verify” a degree or transcript. Transcripts have to be mailed from the college? No problem, once again. Several of the Web businesses claim they can send your transcript with the university’s postmark on it.

These diploma mills claim to be legitimate, yet the only contact information they provide is an e-mail address. Customdegrees.com conveniently does not deem it necessary to have a call center because of their “efficient online communication system.” Closedcollege.com said that because most of their printers have day jobs, they are not readily available to take phone calls.

Burk said that diploma mills have been around forever, but technology has made it a more serious threat.

“The Internet and the printing capabilities of today leave much more room for abuse,” he said.

Michelle Pickett, Admissions Counselors assistant director, said she was unaware of the diploma mills and their Web sites. However, Pickett said that even if a fake diploma had an official seal and postmark, NIU does not accept diplomas or transcripts that are not accredited by North Central Association, one of many accrediting bodies nationwide.