BRB's Public Records Blog

Indiana GEDs

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has outsourced all requests for GED verifications, transcripts, and diploma copies to a designated vendor - Diploma Sender.  The state agency will no longer process any requests.
Diploma Sender is found at www.diplomasender.com
 
All requests must be ordered online. Most results are available in 1 to 3 days. The fee is $5.00 for an employment verification letter and $15.00 for a duplicate GED certificate or transcript. Diploma Sender will not process direct requests from employers, schools, or third parties. However the student can still direct Diploma Master to provide the document to the third party. The third party must first be registered and then must be provided an authentication code by the test taker.
 
Email questions to support@diplomasender.com responses are promised in one business day. Diploma Sender personnel will not answer the telephone.
 

More States Step Up Fight Against Diploma Mills

On March 24, 2011, Idaho's "Anti-Diploma Mill" bill was unanimously passed by the Idaho State Senate. To read a recent article about this and efforts by other states, visit the Accredibase Reports web page at www.accredibase.com/report.

Accredibase Report for 2011 Reveals 48% Increase in Fake Universities

The 2011 Annual Accredibase Report of diploma and accreditation mill activity has revealed an astounding 48% increase worldwide in the number of known diploma and accreditation mills in the past year alone.  As the Internet is the primary home for these bogus education and accreditation providers, little action is taken to stop them from helping unscrupulous candidates deceive unsuspecting employers. The Accredibase Report examines the current status of the diploma mill situation and considers what can be done to protect the public and businesses.

U.S - The King of Diploma Mills
According to the 2011 report, the U.S. remains the world's fake college capital. This year has seen a 20% increase in known diploma mills in the US, with the number rising from 810 to 1,008. While more than 40% percent of the diploma mills operate in California, Hawaii, Washington and Florida, the Report reveals that District of Columbia has seen the sharpest increase among US states with 74%, rising from 19 to 33 mills over the past year. High school diploma mills are of particular concern in the United States and appear to be a growing segment in this unscrupulous market as well.

To view or download the Report, visit  www.accredibase.com/report.

High School Records

Searching for high school records can be a difficult task. Over the years, schools can close, merge, or be renamed. A high school name can be misspelled or not quite remembered.

There are several excellent websites that provide comprehensive lists and data pertaining to high schools as well as junior highs and elementary schools.

The site maintained by Standard and Poor’s at www.schoolmatters.com provides detailed information on each school including the school’s address, telephone number, total students and also very detailed comparisons on performance matters. Click on the Site Map to begin an alpha search on a state basis.

Check out the subscription site at www.schoolinformation.com. Designed for entities marketing products to schools, this resource is valuable if extensive searching or due diligence is required.

Also, a Google search will reveal a number of state lists.

Of course, an on-site visit of a school is a good way to view a yearbook to find pictures and activity information about individual students.

© excerpt from The Public Record Research TIPS Book

Grand Canyon Super Conference Coming in Oct.

If you're interested in honing your investigative skills, you may want to check out the The Arizona Association of Licensed Private Investigators' Grand Canyon Super Conference at the Mesa Marriott, Oct. 25-27.

Among the speakers are:

Ray Krone, who was the 100th person exonerated by DNA evidence. He and attorney Larry     Hammond will discuss what went wrong in the criminal justice system that led to Krone's wrongful conviction and 10 years in prison.

Marc Klass, the father of murder victim, Polly Klass who was 12 when she was kidnapped and killed in 1993. Marc Klass' foundation is dedicated to stopping crimes against children.

Cynthia Hetherington, nationally known speaker and author of soon to be released book Business Background Investigations.

Breakout sessions include:
-- Conducting Business Background Investigations
-- Forensic Handwriting Analysis
-- Internet Profiling and Intelligence Gathering
-- Investigations Across Borders
-- Organized Crime and the Gaming Industry
-- Public Records challenges in the US and Europe

A PI Marketing Seminar will be offered by Jimmie Mesis of PI Magazine on the Sunday following the conference.

For more information about the conference, go to: http://aalpigcsc.com/. 

Recommended Skip Tracing Seminar

An online skip tracing seminar presented by Michael Dores of Merlin Data is available on Sept. 25th and Oct. 23rd at 10:00 am - 1pm MST.  Cost is $99.00.  Click here to visit the registration page.