Authenticity

EXAMPLES

Example 1 – Documents seem to be fraudulent – check with issuing institution

An applicant has submitted a certificate and transcripts for assessment. After comparing them with a verified certificate and transcripts issued by the same institution in the same year available in your internal electronic databank of verified genuine credentials, you identify considerable differences in appearance: the logo is incorrect and in the wrong position; the text is right rather than centre-aligned and a number of spelling errors and inconsistencies are detected within the text.

After determining these inconsistencies, you send out a request for verification to the issuing institution with the submitted copies of the documents attached. Assessment of the applicant’s documents is suspended until the answer from the issuing institution is received. Once the answer has been received, the decision is made accordingly.

Example 2 – Online verification check with issuing institution

An applicant from Pakistan has submitted his degree certificate awarded in 2009 from the University of Punjab. Comparing the certificate with verified examples in the internal electronic databank of genuine credentials, it seems authentic, despite the fact that there seem to be some misalignments and inconsistencies. Due to those inconsistencies, you look for alternative ways to verify the credential. According to your list of information resources on Pakistan, you are aware that it is quite common to find examination results for recent graduates on the websites of higher education institutions. You then visit the webpage of the University of Punjab and find the option for verifying results at http://pu.edu.pk/home/results/. After selecting the type of qualification, the year of examination and the Roll Number (found on the certificate) the name of the person who obtained the qualification can be verified and a decision can then be made accordingly.

Example 3 – Unknown certificate – online verification check

You receive a qualification from Moldova, which you identify as a Diploma de Baccalaureat. You have never seen this type of qualification before, so you cannot compare it to a verified example and you are not confident that this is indeed an authentic document. Since your office lacks experience with qualifications from Moldova, you visit the web pages of various national bodies for information on the Moldavian system of education and possibilities for verification of credentials. While browsing through the webpage of the Ministry of Education of Moldova, you will come across a link to a website for verification of documents. Thus, you log on to http://www.acte.edu.md/, select the Diploma de Baccalaureat and then enter the graduation year, personalised number and the diploma number to verify the name of the certificate holder. A decision can then be made accordingly.