Employee verification and fraudulent degrees

It is no myth that a college degree is key for the professional success of most Americans today. A degree offers employees a competitive edge, not only in the quality of their alma mater but also in the specialization of their areas of study, internships and extracurricular activities. All of this shines through on a resume to a potential employer. To a hiring manager, the degree and the ways it is highlighted on a resume offer a picture of who this potential employee is and whether a clear skill set exists that is a fit for the company's needs. However, there are companies that produce fraudulent degrees that are available to people online. Some of these so-called "degree mills" not only offer the diploma, but a clear narrative of what it took to achieve that degree. This problem is so widespread that one can even find on Wikipedia a list of animals with fraudulent degrees! The use of credit reports as a supplement to a more traditional background check provides the potential employer with more thorough information on the applicant being considered. In addition to employment history and criminal offenses listed in a background check, a consumer credit report offers information on how the applicant pays his or her bills, as well as an overview of the prospective employee’s financial standing. Consumer credit reports cannot say fully whether or not the employee is qualified for the position but may offer insight into patterns of behavior when it comes to short term lending and other financing.