Claiming degrees you dont have

[51daystoChristmas]

Hi, I have a colleague who is claiming to have degrees she doesnt have. She has two degrees on her email signature that don't match the ones on our company CVs that go out to third parties which is what led me to noticing. So I did a bit of checking and on LinkedIn she has a completely different degree listed, with the university name. So I emailed the university which is in Australia, that information is on public record there, and they confirmed that degree and date. She works on winning business for the company so I think any sort of fraud would be really bad for the company, she's worked here for 10 years though. She has recently been promoted, and is good at her job. I'm in a different team and it makes no difference to me, I was just wondering if I should let anyone know as they've just won a really public facing project. What do you think?

Why are you emailing a colleagues university to verify their qualifications?

By your own admission you work in a different team and it makes no difference to you.

You sound like a snake.

wow, impressive 4 minutes @Angel191 . Why bother replying if you haven't got anything practical to say?

If she’s good at her job and her degree isn’t a legal requirement for the role, I’d leave it be. I have various qualifications but don’t include all of them on every CV/profile I write. It’s tailored to the occasion and skill set required.

@51daystoChristmasbut they are kind of correct. Why are you trying to pin fraud on this colleague. It’s weird behaviour. Have they pissed you off? Are you jealous? What’s your motive because it’s not your job to do this.

It was practical advice. Stop being a snake.

But @Angel191 is right.

You sound jealous, bitter and spiteful.

Keep your beak out.

I wouldn’t have phrased it like @Angel191but I agree with the sentiment. You cross checked her qualifications and then emailed her uni??

Why on earth is this your business?

Telling someone they are a "snake" isn't practical advice. If you knew that someone was a fraudster in your workplace, and that it could be damaging to the company, would you genuinely sit back and do nothing? Wow, no wonder this country is falling apart.

Because I work for the company and it could be really damaging to us, we are working on a high profile project worth millions, if the lead person is a fraudster its potentially really damaging for all of us.

Yabu and over stepping, she’s not on your team, you are not hr being asked to check, so why are you emailing her university?

you don’t know all the background or what the reason might be, either leave well alone or just ask her, where you might get a totally sensible explanation, emailing her university is ridiculous and jumping straight to reporting also is.

Because she’s a liar?

I would give her a very wide berth. Avoid talking about her in conversation. Just generally not give her space in any way.

Sadly, lots of people lie to manipulate situations to suit themselves. I’ve realised this as I’ve got older.

I emailed to double my facts before I went to HR with the information. What exactly is a sensible explanation for claiming four different degrees you don't have? That's so random. I'm guessing you don't actually work? or have degrees yourself🤔

This is why you should hold your horses as you jump to conclusions out of nothing.
yes I work, yes I have qualifications, some are listed in other places and not in others.

So just zero integrity then, and don't care about honesty in the workplace, feel sorry for the employer you work for.

Why is it zero integrity? I list relevant things, in relevant places, just like my cv doesn’t have every job I’ve ever had on it since a teenager, unless it’s asked for, which is rare, it’s tailored. No need to feel sorry for my workplace at all, I’m good at my job.

there might be a reasonable explanation, you clearly want to report her, so why the thread at all, just go do what you want to clearly do 🤷‍♀️

I can guarantee if your employer and colleagues knew what you were like they’d all wish you worked elsewhere.

no wonder this country is falling apart

🤣 oh give over

I have a degree in Modern Studies which means naff all to most people so I say I have a degree in History, Politics and International Relations.
I have an MA in Third World Studies which again says very little so I say I have an MA in African History and Politics.
I have another MA in Adventure Tourism Management which most people seem to think is about learning to hold a brolly and shepherding groups of tourists. I"m too old and don't care enough anymore to explain its a business degree

Goodness me, get a hobby OP.

I am curious, if you are already planning to go to HR, why are you asking here whether you should? To feel vindicated? Clever? If integrity etc are so paramount and you're just going to argue with anyone that disagrees with you, then go ahead and report her, and deal with any consequences of that

Yeah but you do actually have the degrees, this person doesnt have them, and not a postgraduate degree, they have appeared after a recent promotion, I think to look like everyone else in the company documentation who has degrees listed.

I would wonder why she feels she needs to do this publically on her email signature. Especially if it doesn't match up with her linkedIn. Clearly people on here don't worry about potentially losing a massive account because the lead person is a liar.

If OP can check, so can the client. She is trying to prevent it blowing up in their faces.

And this is the work board, not AIBU.

It's clear the company haven't bothered to do their own due diligence, which is on them.

You might do well to remember that if you bring this to their attention, they won't thank you for it. All you're doing is pointing out that they failed in their DD and embarrassed themselves. Office politics is a delicate thing. I've never mastered it. But even I can see this.

Sorry but you don’t know they don’t have a postgraduate degree though? You just know they do have a degree from the Australian uni.