Posts impersonate Malaysian education ministry to sell counterfeit academic certificates
- Published on August 15, 2024 at 10:31
- 3 min read
- By Najmi Mamat, AFP Malaysia
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"Taking orders to produce certificates of award for all work departments," read one Malay-language Facebook post shared on May 14 by an account claiming to be affiliated with the Malaysian Ministry of Education.
"The certificate/diploma/degree/degree we make is official, not a fake file. The file we created is valid in the system and can be checked. This file can also be used for work."
Accompanying images on the post appear to show various certificates featuring the education ministry's logo and those of other government agencies.
A link at the bottom of the post opens a WhatsApp chat window where people can ask for more information.
Similar posts promoting "official" certificate-making services for prices ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 ringgit were shared elsewhere on Facebook here and here, and have been appearing since at least 2023 here, here, here and here.
The fake certificates were also posted for sale on Instagram, including here and here, by accounts that racked up tens of thousands of followers.
AFP contacted one of the sellers and was given an order form that asks for personal details such as the buyer's full name and delivery address, while the fraudster also asks potential buyers to send their identity card details and provide a digital signature.
The education ministry, however, does not outsource the handling of applications for examination result certificates, and has previously warned of social media pages impersonating the ministry.
Imposter pages
The education ministry told AFP it had never "appointed any agent or private individual" to handle applications for copies or translations of exam results.
"All official affairs related to examination certificates are only handled by the Examination Board," the ministry said on August 14.
The ministry added that the Examination Board services are only offered online on their official website and not over the phone or WhatsApp.
The genuine certificates issued by the Examination Board only feature the Malaysian coat of arms -- not, as seen in images shared by the imposter accounts, the logo of the Examination Board (archived links here and here).
The Ministry of Education has previously warned the public to beware of fake social media sites misusing the ministry's official name and logo (archived link).
"The public is advised not to be deceived by the services offered," the July 31 statement read.
Malaysia's higher education ministry also lodged a police report over the alleged sale of fake academic certificates, state news agency Bernama reported on August 1 (archived link).
Minister of Higher Education Zambry Abdul Kadir said several cases of academic certificate fraud were successfully uncovered through public complaints about fraud syndicates deceiving victims using the name of higher education institutions.
Bernama reported the scam targets individuals "desperate to have academic qualifications for the purpose of finding a job".
AFP has previously debunked other imposter accounts posing as government bodies here and here.
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