Students at risk from bogus university websites

Some 75 websites offering fake degrees—some operating under very similar names to real institutions—have been shut down in the last four years, it has emerged.

Graduate careers service Prospects announced that it has uncovered and closed 75 websites fraudulently offering UK degrees since it was appointed by the government to investigate the issue in 2015.

By combining its work with historic government data, Prospects lists 243 fake institutions on its Prospects Hedd website, which was launched in 2011 as part of a drive to protect graduates, universities and employers from degree fraud. Bogus institutions include Manchester University, impersonating the University of Manchester; and Liverpool Metropolitan University, which does not exist. Prospects even uncovered a website claiming to be the “Brexit University”.