Diploma mills are unaccredited institutions that award degrees in exchange for money. Sometimes these fake schools offer a limited and inferior education. Other times they simply mail out a degree in exchange for a check.

Although the "something for nothing" promises made by diploma mills can be alluring, fake degrees are never worth it. Listing a diploma mill degree on a resume often leads to firing and professional humiliation years down the road. In some places (such as the entire state of Texas) using a diploma mill degree is illegal and could lead to charges.

Wikipedia explores the diploma mill legality issue in more depth:

"Even if issuing or receiving a diploma mill qualification is legal, passing it off as an accredited one for personal gain is a crime in many jurisdictions. In some cases the diploma mill may itself be guilty of an offense, if it knew or ought to have known that the qualifications it issues are used for fraudulent purposes. Diploma mills could also be guilty of fraud if they mislead customers into believing that the qualifications they issue are accredited or recognized, or make false claims that they will lead to career advancement, and accept money on the basis of these claims.

Some unaccredited institutions include disclaimers in respect of accreditation in the small print of their contracts.

Fake degrees are risky for buyers and consumers, says John Bear, a distance learning and diploma mills expert. "It is like putting a time bomb in your resumé. It could go off at any time, with dire consequences. The people who sell fake degrees will probably never suffer at all, but the people who buy them often suffer mightily. And - particularly if their "degree" is health-related - their clients may be seriously harmed."

Earning a degree from an accredited school takes time and effort, but the investment is worth it.