Closedcollege.com and cooldegree.com. Replacement diplomas are a rip-off!!
They advertise authentic looking replacement diploma and transcripts' from real colleges that have closed down. They claim they are very authentic and realistic and you can show your employer and they'll never doubt that you did indeed attended college. The diploma and transcripts are advertised as embossed with Registrar's signature and school seal'. They do say these are for entertainment, but can legally be used as long as you graduated from and hold credentials from the school you are requesting (although I'm sure people get the idea)
In correspondence, they said they had the exact street address of the college, and that per my request, the transcripts would reflect transferred credits form the actual college I attended for 2 years (to lend to the authenticity) I paid the $300 ($225 +$75 rush)and waited. What I got in the mail a few days later was a joke!!
The diploma had many obvious flaws: No embossed seal (no seal at all in fact other than the generic printed one which is used as a guide to put the real one over), a cheesy 1 inch gold sticker that said Magna c*m Laude (a title I never requested), and to top it all off, it was grammatically incorrect!! It said from the board of trustees of THE XXX College' instead of from the board of trustees of XXX College'. The word THE' should only be used for a title starting with the word University' (e.g. From the board of trustees of THE University of Miami).
The transcripts had a really small font (6?) so they could squeeze all 4 years of courses on one page, thus saving them the cost of more sheets of paper. It was barely legible. It did NOT include my transferred credits as they said it would do, and there was no college seal (there was a generic embossed seal that said academic something'). In addition, they had my start date wrong.
In short, it was garbage and was a waste of $300. It was NOT authentic looking and any one looking at the documents would spot them as a cheap fraud immediately. I of course emailed them several times voicing my concerns and asking what could be done. I received a single reply that a manager would deal with it.
I never heard from them again.
They have a sister company called cooldegree' that offers a similar service. The trick here is that the colleges they offer do not now nor did they ever actually exist. There are clever similarities between their college names and genuine ones (like Drake College instead of Drake University).
Robert
Kendal Park, New Jersey
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Tim
Valparaiso,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Read a little closer if you think this guy is legit!
#5Consumer Comment
Thu, October 09, 2003
Actually, from my reading of the original post, it did seem as though the original poster was trying to secure a fraudulent transcript and diploma. He stated that the company was to include two years worth of classes that he actually did take on a transcript reflecting four years worth of work. Two plus zero doesn't quite equal four.
Our original reporter was trying to commit a fraud of his own, if you don't believe me then you need to give his report a closer read. Unfortunately for him, but to the benefit of the rest of society, his fraud was preempted by another fraud. To come around complaining of this sort of situation is like a crackhead going to the BBB because someone sold him a twenty dollar hunk of soap. Society rightfully provides litle sympathy for the thief who gets ripped off.
Michael, you give good advice for someone in the situation you seem to think Robert was in, but you don't need to read between the lines to see that such advice will do him little good.
Michael
Twin Falls,Idaho,
U.S.A.
A suggestion. It sucks that companies like that will take advantage of a situation you had no control over
#5Consumer Suggestion
Wed, October 08, 2003
Robert, I'm sorry that happened to you. It sucks that companies like that will take advantage of a situation you had no control over.
Rather than dealing with places like this, you may want to contact your state department of education. Most accredited institutions that close are obliged to send their files somewhere for permanent storage for their students. State education departments may have this information, as many colleges and universities are required to get permission from the state in order to confer degrees. Additionally, you could contact the accreditation commission that served your former institution. They may be able to offer advice. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (http://www.chea.org) can put you in contact with the appropriate commission.
Hope this helps!
Brianna
Tucson,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Sean, stop.
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, June 24, 2003
Obviously, Sean, you didn't read the original post.
Robert said he already has the credentials and the degree, he was looking for a replacement.
Stop being ignorant.
Sean
Wappingers,New York,
U.S.A.
your breaking the law to begin with
#5Consumer Comment
Sun, June 22, 2003
Dude you are buying a rip off degree from somebody and you are complaining about them? Do you buy stolen Tv's and complain when there broking too?