Diploma mills are organizations that issue fraudulent degrees and certificates with substandard or no academic studying required. Generally, diploma mills are unaccredited, and any degrees obtained from such organizations are claimed to be awarded on the basis of life experience.

If individuals attempt to use any degrees issued from a diploma mill in order to gain employment, they could be punished with a fine, jail-time or probation. In some states, the use of a fraudulent diploma for employment seeking purposes is considered to be a serious crime.

If individuals are in doubt about an online program's credibility, here is a list of warning signs, which may indicate that it is a diploma mill:

1. The online program allows students to obtain degrees based on their experiences - no exams or courses are required.
2. The online program does not mention accreditation, or provides a false accreditation agency.
3. The degree program's tuition is a flat fee rather than on a per-credit basis.
4. The degree program promises graduations in an unreasonable amount of time.
5. No prerequisites, such as a high school diploma, are required to enroll in the online program.
6. The online program's details are vague, with no specific details on course offerings, degree requirements, course materials or instructor information.
7. The online university is not listed with the U.S. Department of Education.
8. The online university is located in another country, and offers no contact information.

Individuals can easily steer clear of diploma mills by always checking an online university's accreditation against the U.S. Department of Education's online list. If anything about an online university's program requirements seems suspicious, chances are it is.