Lying about an architecture degree from another country?

[yellowcupandplate]

Hi, what would happen if someone was discovered in the UK to have been lying about their qualifications? A friend's boyfriend from Australia has lied on their CV in the UK about their architectural qualifications. They're claiming to be a qualified architect - though not currently registered as such in the UK - but to have studied up to masters level and to have been accredited in Australia in the past when they have only done a Bachelors degree which does not qualify you to practice in a professional capacity there or here. The CV also has decades of work on it as an architect despite not being accredited so in literal terms was not an architect, and must have only been a draughtsperson and/or technician only. This person now works for a large construction company in the UK but not as an architect, although clearly the background got him the job, but in an advisory capacity in project management. Their degree was in the 90s and so is not on the public record in Australia as the register didn't start until 2000. They have recently started signing off their work emails after a promotion as BSc, MA, despite having neither... Should the employer know? Is this illegal? My friend is besides herself now she has found this out but is too scared to approach him as he can get quite, let's say, not very nice, with her. She doesn't know what to do as they've just moved in together but since that has happened she's discovered this and some other things about him and he just keeps on losing the plot when she tries to bring it up with him. Any ideas. Is this illegal? Should the employer know or is it just their fault if they haven't carried out due diligence on him? He's worked for the same company for 8 years so he must be ok at his job and he's just got this big promotion...

Keep your nose out of your this.

If your friend has concerns about her partner, she should end the relationship.

If the man is 'not very nice' to her I would say she has bigger problems to deal with than whether he lied or not on his CV...

No need to involve his employer in this. She just needs to dump him.

Stay out of it.
If the employer needed equivalent accreditation for legal reasons, they would ask for it via official pathways. If he has years of experience, it’s likely he can do the job.

If your friend is scared of him, she should break up with him.

I work as a fraud investigator and lying on a CV about qualifications is fraud, especially if the degree/qualification/experience was relevant to getting the job.

Employers should do their due diligence, however it's worrying how many dont check qualifications at all.

Its very unlikely the organisation would get the Police interested in it, but if they have an internal dept investigating fraud, then they can and should investigate it.

I refused to I ter iew someone because they claimed to have studied at the same place I did - but with a degree that the uni didn't offer (they claimed aBA but the undergrad was a BSc. My boss wouldn't have batted an eyelid. It looked plausible. I knew it was either a lie, or a typo so either way, I didn't want to employ them
I think lying on CVs is probably really common.

If he’s already ‘not very nice’ to her, being disgraced and unemployed won’t make him any nicer.

She needs to leave him.

In the UK, it is illegal to call yourself an "architect" if you are not registered with the Architects Registration Board. So if he's ever called himself and "architect" you can report him to ARB, they usually quite good at following this through.

However, if he is not using the title there is nothing you can do. PM for a construction company is not an easy job, so he clearly has enough experience and knowledge to do this without anyone questioning his qualifications. Quite often experience trumps the diploma, especially in construction. Though lying is a bit dodgy, and really unfair to people who actually done the degree.

If it really bothers you, you can contact the HR of his company and say you know he has no qualifications - but even then, there is a probability that nothing would happen. And yes, its the lack of due diligence. I know people who were lying about their UK degree - but there is nothing your employer can do apart from asking the person for a diploma certificate which can be "lost", "in my mum's attic", "damaged" etc.

I would be staying out of this. That person could be quite dangerous and you sticking your nose can get you into a sticky situation. Who has the nerve to do such a thing.? Obviously, in countries where money talks con artists like him are ten a penny. I really hope the company he works for finds out soon. It is their responsibility after all. As for your friend I would advise to leave him pronto with a sobbing story as she knows too much.