How to crack a quack?

[silkworm]

Say there's a quack and that wants to gain credibility as a scientist. And he does two things:

 

1) He makes up a PhD from a good University. Say Berkeley.

 

2) He claims a professorship to a university but never had one. Say Harvard.

 

Is it illegal to do so? What action can be taken against you for you to stop? Can either of the universities sue the quack? Is Berkeley's legal options different from Harvard's? What else can happen?

[the tree]

Is it illegal to do so?

It might be, I don't know. But if he tries to ask for money (either by selling a book or by asking for donations for research or whatever) then obtaining money under false pretences is most definately a crime.

There might also be a case under attempting to damage the reputation of the Universities for maybe even under false representation.

 

Actually, ignore the above and ask a law profesional.

[Severian]

I think you could get in serious trouble claiming degrees and affiliations of places that actually exist. But I don't think you would have a problem if youused a ficticious institute. And there is nothing to stop you booking flights as Dr Silkworm (although I don't think it makes you more likely to be upgraded).

[swansont]

I'm sure some people use it like an honorary title. Claiming an affiliation is where the potential trouble is.

 

"They don't call me Colonel Homer because I'm some dumb-ass army guy."

[silkworm]

I'm sure some people use it like an honorary title. Claiming an affiliation is where the potential trouble is.

 

"They don't call me Colonel Homer because I'm some dumb-ass army guy."

 

Okay. But say this person has a resume with these credentials and claims these credentials, although this person may not hold an actual position because of it. But also assume that the way this person conducts himself is not in the interest of the places he claims to be from.

 

Good call Tree.

[Phi for All]

I think any legal recourse applies only if the quack has received money due to the false credentials (and then he may only have to return such funding). Discharge from your place of employment is only certain if your performance was lacking. Even some government contractors whose credentials were faked have been kept on because their work was good (unless it involved high security clearance). There could be some very nasty penalties if the quack made the mistake of being paid to offer legal testimony based on false credentials. As swansont said, there is definitely a problem with claiming affiliation with the uni, like falsely claiming a professorship. Unfortunately, I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted by a uni simply for claiming to have a diploma from it. *Forging* such a document is a whole other ball of wax.

 

AFAIK, the universities involved would stop at a terse letter and a hand slap unless the quack was overtly harming their reputation or getting unwanted publicity. There are simply too many low level offenses for them to waste resources on. They probably have databases that would flag names that came up often in a search by verification services as falsely claiming a degree.

 

The best way to "crack a quack" in these situations is to set it up as newsworthy and get the story to a media reporter. Lay it out nice and neat for them, why the quack is benefitting from his false claims, who he's duped, any money or influence he's been able to garner, and timelines including possible future fraudulent probabilities. In the age of 24 -hour news, every day is a slow news day, and fraud is good reading.

[swansont]

I know that the US government has claimed to be cracking down on employees with "diploma mill" degrees, as are a few states. I recall reading an article that listed many of the schools; claiming expertise based on a degree from them was considered a crime (Oregon is one), and if you have a degree from an unaccredited school you must disclose it on your resume. I have to think that claiming a degree where none exists has to be just as bad.

[ecoli]

I think it is illegal... especially forging diplomas. It's gotta be more then a slap on the wrist.

[Phi for All]

I think it is illegal... especially forging diplomas. It's gotta be more then a slap on the wrist.

Forging anything official is illegal. Misrepresenting credentials in a court of law is illegal. But I don't think many states make it a crime to list a false degree on a resume unless the job is a sensitive one.

 

Like swansont said, federal contracts are starting to require contractors to weed out personnel with degrees from places like Columbia State University, which sound almost legit until you check them out. Until laws are passed however, I think censure and loss of position and reputation is all that's going to happen unless the fraud steps over from gray to black and white.

[silkworm]

Thanks for all the help PfA and swansont. This thing just keeps getting deeper. I still know how to use it to my advantage, I'd just like to see some jail time and financial hardship as well as some accountability.

[Genecks]

This reminds me of something:

 

I was on some electronic forums, and people would claim to have a Ph.D. They used the title because they wanted to try out electronic equipment samples from companies. These guys were at Ph.D level, but they didn't have a Ph.D; they were really smart hobbyists.

 

However, they did get away with it. I don't believe there will be criminal charages until someone begins to ask for money or start scamming people. I believe scamming with a false identity would start the legal cycle. U.S. government typically ignores things, until someone decides to start screwing others over. Then again there is the whole corporation vs. government stuff to add in. I suppose when it comes to academic teaching, then serious charges would be brought upon someone.

[swansont]

This reminds me of something:

 

I was on some electronic forums' date=' and people would claim to have a Ph.D. They used the title because they wanted to try out electronic equipment samples from companies. These guys were at Ph.D level, but they didn't have a Ph.D; they were really smart hobbyists.

 

However, they did get away with it. [/quote']

 

I'm a little suprised. The odds of getting samples are much better if you work for a company than if you do academic research, since the potential sales are much larger (an academic sample might lead to zero sales if all they need is one item), and you don't need a PhD for that. Most people can tell the difference between a university address and a home address, so I suspect there's a little more to the story.

[scicop]

First of all the quack would not get any recognition from established scientist.

 

Obtaining a Ph.D. is not easy, it not only involves research but involves publications in peer reviewed journals, presentations at national and international conferences, and, in some cases, securing extramural funding for stipend/supplies. In addition, most importantly I think, is that to do a Ph.D. you have have a Ph.D. advisor!!!! That Ph.D. advisor's name will FOREVER follow your name around! Thus, the insitution you obtain your PH.D. from IN NOT AS IMPORTANT as the laboratory (AKA YOUR PHD ADVISOR) you came from.

 

So your quack won't make it far in the professional science world..maybe with the hobbist wanna be's.

 

Second, unless the person is some how, through some miracle, able to get a position which requires a Ph.D. in science (NOT MANY...maybe an academic professorship) the person would be discharged, probably not charged with a crime. Again, I would be amazed if a person were to get away with it today, universities are invest alot time doing their due dill before they hire anyone.

 

Maybe your quack may be able to fool a no-name liberal arts university for failing rich kids.

 

I do know of an instance of a quack who falsified a MD degree at a university that I won't name. I knew the guy personally. He had a PhD degree and was well established in a certain science field. He had stellar publications and numerous grants from the NIH. However, he was sick in the head and started added MD after his name. He was not questioned because, he was well known in the field, and although he was a basic sciencetist, his was affliated with clinical department within the university school of medicine.

He was practicing medicine!! Seeing patients. I'll leave a few things out, but he was found out and was not only discharged from the university(S!!) but also charged with impersonation of a physcian, a felony. He was also investigated by the HHS OIG and FBI since he was given federal funds to do research.

 

This dude, originally was of sound mind, but as time went on he became a quack. So that's one case I know of..but..his circumstances were different, he was a well respected scientist before his demise.