Providing false diplomas purchased online and misleading information about education

Authority 

This investigation was conducted under section 69 of the Public Service Employment Act (S.C. 2003, c.22, ss. 12, 13).

Issue 

The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether a candidate committed fraud in an appointment process by providing false diplomas purchased online and misleading information about their education.

Conclusion 

The investigation concluded that the candidate committed fraud when they provided false diplomas purchased online and misleading information about their education, knowing it could increase their chances of being appointed. The candidate’s actions were dishonest and could have compromised the appointment process.  

Facts 

The candidate was working on an Interchange Canada assignment and was considered for an indeterminate appointment.

The education requirement established for this appointment process was a secondary school diploma or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

The candidate was provided with a draft assessment form for their review. The draft form had been completed to demonstrate how they met each merit criterion, based on the information they submitted in their curriculum vitae (CV) for the assignment. They were also asked to provide proof of education for the appointment.

The candidate provided copies of their bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the university mentioned in their CV, which were referenced in the draft assessment form. They also returned a copy of the assessment form with proposed modifications, which included the addition of their secondary school diploma in the assessment of the education requirement. They also suggested that the words “they also hold certification in” be added in front of the mention of their degrees along with the mention “proofs of certifications on file.” They later provided the proof of their secondary school diploma.

A human resources advisor raised concerns about the validity of the 2 degrees provided by the candidate as proof of education, noting that they were issued from an online degree-for-sale business where anyone can buy a degree package, including transcripts and awards. The organization did not proceed with the appointment.

The evidence demonstrated, on the balance of probabilities, that the candidate knew that the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as the supporting documents they purchased online, falsely presented completion of post-secondary education.

The evidence also demonstrated that the candidate knew that their CV, which included a mention of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees under the education header, would be used to justify the selection for the appointment.  

As well, the candidate had the opportunity to be transparent when they reviewed the draft assessment form. They could have clarified then that the bachelor’s and master’s information in the assessment form were not based on the completion of a university program but on life experience. Instead, they chose to add the word “certification” and keep the words “bachelor” and “master.”

Corrective actions 

Following the conclusion of fraud, the Commission ordered the following:

• for a period of 3 years, the person must notify the Public Service Commission of Canada before accepting any position or work within the federal public service
  •  failure to do so will result in the revocation of the appointment
• if the person joins the federal public service during this 3-year period, they will be required to take the “Values and Ethics Foundations for Employees” course offered by the Canada School of Public Service, followed by a discussion with their director
  • failure to do so will result in revocation of the appointment

In addition, the Commission decided to disclose certain personal information obtained during this investigation to 2 federal public service organizations to promote accountability, pursuant to section 19 of the Public Service Employment Regulations.

File No. : 23-24-15