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  • Report:  #310320

Complaint Review: PhonyDiploma - PhoneyDiploma - DiplomaCompany - NextDayDiplomas - RealisticDiplomas - Richmond Virginia

Reported By:
- Birmingham, Alabama,
Submitted:
Updated:

PhonyDiploma - PhoneyDiploma - DiplomaCompany - NextDayDiplomas - RealisticDiplomas
PO Box 72845 Richmond, 23235 Virginia, U.S.A.
Phone:
888-325-3347
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
Buyer Beware! PhonyDiploma.com and its many fake diploma sister sites (PhoneyDiploma.com, DiplomaCompany.com, NextDayDiplomas.com, RealisticDiploma.com, and RealisticDiplomas.com) are part of an FBI sting operation!

DO NOT purchase from or contact this site under ANY circumstances! If you do, you can expect the FBI to pay a visit to you and your employer very shortly.

THIS IS MY STORY:

A couple months ago I had a great job with great pay and great benefits. I ended up purchasing my first home a few months ago and shortly after moving in, I came across my college diploma in a file cabinet I had just moved into my new home office. I thought it might be nice to finally have a place to hang my diploma on the wall, but after a few years of being tossed around in the file cabinet, mine had become a little torn and tattered, so I set out to get a replacement. After speaking with the university that I graduated from and hearing that it would cost $400+ dollars to get a replacement, I started searching around on the internet. After doing a quick search for "replacement diplomas", I came across a handful of sites - one of which was PhonyDiploma.com.

PhonyDiploma.com offered exact replicas of my degree and the best part was it only cost $185 instead of the $400+ the university wanted to charge me. After speaking to them on the phone and having them absolutely assure me it would indeed be an exact replica, I went for it. They even accepted credit cards and told me I would have it delivered within 3 days. "Done deal!... That sure was easy..." I thought.

Sure enough, 3 or 4 days later I got my package from PhonyDiploma.com.

My first disappointment came when I opened the box to find that the diploma didn't exact match my old diploma. As a matter of fact, this new one looked nothing like my old one. The layout was completely different. It looked like something that had been laser printed with a gold state seal on it instead of the embossed and multi-colored university seal like my original diploma has.

The real shock didn't come until about 3 weeks later however when I was abruptly fire from my job without reason, recourse, or severance pay.

I was absolutely infuriated. I had now worked for this company (which I won't name) for a few years and had received 1 promotion already as well as a handful of pay raises and out of the blue I am fired. Not only am I fired though, they also refuse to tell me exactly why I am being fired and even go as far as to have me quickly escorted off the property by a security guard.

To make a long story short, after about a week and talking to a few lawyers, I decided to sue for wrongful termination.

Almost a month had passed before my lawyer finally received a letter from human resources stating that I was fired for "conspiring to commit employment fraud".

It is important to note at this point that at NO POINT had I told ANYONE at my company that I had purchased a replacement for my diploma. I hadn't even told my lawyer, because at the time it hadn't even crossed my mind that would be somehow related to my termination. This was simply something that I had purchased to hang in my home office, which I never even ended up doing when all was said and done.

Within about 48 hours of my lawyer receiving the letter from the human resources department where I used to work, he also received an envelope via certified mail from the FBI in Richmond, Virginia. The letter contained further information on an investigation that was done concerning me with a few additional details as well as a disclosure notice that the FBI insisted I sign and immediately return it. The disclosure basically concluded that I wouldn't discuss what had happened, any contact I had with PhonyDiploma.com, or why I was fired because of an "ongoing investigation".

Needless to say, I didn't sign anything.

I have since tried to contact my employer to explain the situation to them and that I was only trying to order a replacement for a diploma that I already have, but so far I am not even getting a call back.

I probably should have put two and two together before I ordered anything from PhonyDiploma.com. I remember thinking to myself after I placed the order, "Wow. That was easy. I could have ordered just about anything I wanted. I wonder how these guys (PhonyDiploma.com) gets away with doing this..."

In my opinion, it is really complete BS how the FBI does this. I can see if they are trying to catch people ordering from other countries that are trying to sneak into the U.S., but why they have to ruin the life of a productive American citizen by setting up phony websites to entrap people I have no idea. My guess is though, I am not the first hard working Amrerican that has fallen victim to this trap and I probably won't be the last.

The thing about it is that if I hadn't went as far as hiring a lawyer and really pushed the issue, I probably never would have known the real reason why I was terminated.

I have done quite a bit of research since, and it looks like the FBI has already done this before, but with fake ID sites. A couple weeks ago, I came across an news article about a "congressional investigation" that was done in which the investigators had set up fake ID sites and had tracked people who ordered from the site for years to see what types of people were ordering, where they were ordering from, and what they were using the ID for.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

BUYER BEWARE! STAY AWAY from PHONYDIPLOMA.COM or any of its affiliated websites including:

- DiplomaCompany.com

- NextDayDiplomas.com

- RealisticDiploma.com

- RealisticDiplomas.com

- PhoneyDiploma.com

Do NOT contact or purchase ANYTHING from ANY of these fake degree websites! All of these fake diploma sites are the SAME COMPANY. These sites all have P.O. Boxes in Richmond, Virginia, which are located just miles from the FBI office where the letter that was sent to my lawyer was sent from - which also happens to be one of the main FBI offices in the country.

PhonyDiploma.com, PhoneyDiploma.com, DiplomaCompany.com, NextDayDiplomas.com, RealisticDiploma.com, and RealisticDiplomas.com are all fake scam sites that have been set up by the FBI as part of a sting operation!

Infuriated01

Birmingham, Alabama

U.S.A.


12 Updates & Rebuttals

waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Final Report

#2Consumer Comment

Tue, February 11, 2014

 Hello Everyone. Due to my failing health I am going to make this my last report. It has been over 3 months now since receiving my duplicate high school diploma and I have not had anyone from any law enforcement agency come calling on me. In my opinion there is no truth to the report filed here. I got excellent service from a great company. If you are looking to replace an old and torn diploma this is the company to call. Many thanks to the folks at Phony Diploma for all they have done. I also want to say that I am in no way working for this company. I am just a satisfied customer. God Bless.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 10 1/10/2014

#3Consumer Comment

Fri, January 10, 2014

Well I made it to week 10. I just spent the last tens days in the hospital so I missed week 9. But I can report that I have had no visitors from law enforcement since I got my replacement diploma. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. Now I'll go back and do some recouping in bed. God Bless


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 8 12/25/2013

#4Consumer Comment

Wed, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas to everyone. Its been eight weeks since I order my replacement diploma and no visitors from law enforcement. I'll keep everyone informed for as long as my health allows. God Bless


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 7 12/15/2013

#5Consumer Comment

Sun, December 15, 2013

Well, here we are at week 7 since I purchased my replacement diploma and no calls from law enforcement. I want everyone to know that I am not associated with this company. I am doing this for them because they treated me great and did a good job for me. Ive even got in touch with old class mates that I have not talked or seen in 40 years. Ill keep doing this for as long as I can. Every one stay well and God bless.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 6 12/07/2013

#6Consumer Comment

Sat, December 07, 2013

Well, its week 6 and I have not had any visitors from any law enforcement agencies. Sorry I'm a little late. My health is not the greatest. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I'll keep you posted but it may not be on time. But I made a promise and I will do my best to keep it. God Bless


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 5 11/27/2013

#7Consumer Comment

Wed, November 27, 2013

 Here we are in week 5 since I got my replacement diploma and I'm happy to report that I have had no visitors from law enforcement. I will keep this up for as long as I can. My health is getting worse.

But I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. God Bless


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 4 11/20/2013

#8Consumer Comment

Wed, November 20, 2013

 Its been four weeks since I recieved my replacement diploma. No FBI or law enforcement have come calling.

I have been getting a little behind because of my health but I will keep writing these updates as long as I can.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 3 11/12/2013

#9Consumer Comment

Tue, November 12, 2013

 Hi Everyone,

Well here it is week 3 and still no FBI or any other law enforcement has come calling about my replacement diploma.

More updates to follow.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 2 11/2/2013

#10Consumer Comment

Sun, November 03, 2013

 Its been two weeks since I received my replacement diploma and I still have not had any contact with the FBI or any other law enforcement agency. I will keep everyone updated like I promised.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Week # 1 10/26/2013

#11Consumer Comment

Sat, October 26, 2013

 Its been 1 week since I received my replacement diploma and there has been no contact from the FBI or any other law enforcement agency. I will keep everyone informed as to my progress.


waitandsee

Orlando,
Florida,
Phony Diploma updates

#12General Comment

Thu, October 17, 2013

 I purchased a replacement diploma from this company. First let me tell you that I had excellent service. I saw this report after I purchased my diploma replacement and it bothered me that I may be breaking the law. I am disabled and my health is failing. I'll be retiring in March 2014. The only things I have left are my memories. So when I found my year book and diploma ruined from flooding I decided to replace them.

I call the company and talked to the customer service rep Steave. He was very nice and assured me that they were not part of the the FBI or any law enforcement agency. So this is what Iam going to do.

Every week up until I retire I will update everyone. If the FBI come calling I will let everyone know it. I have plenty of time on my hands to do this so lets see what happens.


Kazi

USA
To provide an answer, and hopefully shed some light to future buyers...

#13Consumer Comment

Sat, September 18, 2010

You know, it was extremely irresponsible of the company.  I don't know whether this is a particular company set up by "FBI" or whomever trying to lure unsuspecting buyers, but I can tell you this for sure: it was a very untimely purchase, and I can tell you why.

For future reference for those thinking about placing an order for a "backup" or "novelty" diplomas, you should be aware that to avoid a lawsuit, these companies have come to an agreement with many universities that they will no longer produce any novelty items bearing their names.  These same strict rules have been forced upon all novelty diploma manufacturers - in the U.S.

I know this sounds like something that should have and would have been an issue with the law a loooong time ago.  Well, it's not.  It was placed into effect very recently.

I can't tell you what to do if you still want to get this "diploma" even though there are ways around it; it really doesn't take that much creative thinking actually.  However, responsible companies will tell you whether or not they can create anything in the name of your university or if they have an agreement with that school.

To prove which companies are responsible, I've emailed several well-known internet companies easily googled who produces "novelty" diplomas in the U.S.  I asked each of them to create something specific for this diploma for a school I know cannot have diplomas created by novelty diploma companies.  However, to my disappointment, only ONE came back with an honest answer.  I don't want to post the name of the online company because well, that'll just be like free advertising for a lost cause.  Anyways, this company who said no to me repeatedly told me no - we cannot do it and neither can any other novelty diploma company in the U.S., and if they say they can then you will personally get in trouble.  I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty much what they said.  I even tempted them to work around it (like printing the 1st letter of the school - it sounds stupid, I know), but the answer was still no.

So 1 company replied out of 5.  This tells you how much they care about you or what the consequences can do to your life. 

Well, good news is, not ALL schools have come to any agreements with any companies.  Therefore, go ahead and try to ask some of these companies and see what they say.  Remember to email several companies if you still want to give it a go.  Otherwise, if you've already graduated from a university, give a call to them and they'll order you a backup, although it generally costs over $400.  But better safe than sorry - what's saving a few hundred bucks when you're going to end up like this unfortunate person who unknowingly lost his job because of this trap?  And if you just want to trick someone, well, just print it yourself.  Like I said, it really doesn't take a whole lot of creative thinking.

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