It was brought to NASP’s attention that there is an organization that has surfaced in multiple Facebook groups, Back Door Certificates, that offers “100% authentic certifications without having to take an exam”. Among the certifications the company offers are NEBOSH, CSP, ASP, PMP, and many more.
Individuals who employ fraudulent credentials dilute the perceived quality of the institution’s credential holders, perform poorly in their position, risk the safety and health of all employees, and demonstrate a willingness to commit future fraud for personal gain.
We wanted to take the time to teach our readers how to spot the phonies in case they surface at your facility:
- The most effective way to identify fake certifications is to obtain confirmation of the certificate through the certifying body. If you are not in charge of hiring and verifying the employment of fellow safety professionals in your organization, this would be a vital conversation to have with your HR and hiring personnel. Certifying bodies are required to validate certification either through email correspondence or an online registry. We have copied a few links to the NEBOSH, BSCP, IHMM, and PMI directories so that these may be forwarded to the appropriate personnel:
- Inspecting the design of the certificate is key. The real certificates from genuine institutions usually use special paper. If you find a certificate printed on normal paper, there is a high chance that it is fake. Check closely for spelling mistakes. The language on the certificates should also be inspected thoroughly. Check for guilloche design effect a geometrical design pattern, commonly seen on banknotes.
- To prevent tampering or reproduction by copier machines, most institutions will have some physical authentication features such as micro-text lines, UV invisible ink, watermark, security hologram, anti-scanning ink, etc. It is likely that a fake certificate would not have a fake watermark. The security hologram, Anti-Scanning Ink, and void features provide an additional feature of anti-scanning and prevent these from making a color replica. If scanned or photocopied, the matter/design would be far different than the original color. In case of a void feature, the word COPY appears when an attempt is made to copy a degree. This feature will not be seen in the original document. However, if photocopied, the feature appears on a duplicate copy.
If you believe an individual uses a credential without authorization, please report the issue to the appropriate institution.
