In today’s digital age, the proliferation of fake college websites poses a significant threat to prospective students. One such example is the website for Southeastern Michigan University, which at first glance appears to represent a legitimate educational institution.
Featuring cheerful students in graduation attire celebrating their achievements, the homepage is designed to attract attention. A chat feature invites visitors with the question, “How can I assist you today?” The site boasts impressive statistics, including a high graduation rate and a variety of accredited programs, all while promoting a lively campus atmosphere.
However, a closer inspection reveals numerous red flags indicating that Southeastern Michigan University is not what it claims to be. The use of blurry images and distorted visuals suggests the involvement of generative artificial intelligence in its creation. While some images may initially deceive the casual observer, others, such as a basketball player with exaggerated features, appear to be poorly crafted, resembling illustrations from a comic book. Additionally, the text on the site is filled with vague and overly grandiose language, typical of content generated by AI.
Ultimately, this so-called university is a fabrication, part of a larger scheme that has emerged alongside the rise of generative AI technology.
Some visuals on the Southeastern Michigan University website seem to be AI-generated.
“It took me some time to realize it wasn’t a real institution,” remarked Aaron Ament, president of a legal defense network focused on student rights. He has investigated fraudulent colleges that exploit students. “For someone searching for educational opportunities, it’s easy to mistake it for a legitimate university.”
The attorney general of Michigan, Dana Nessel, recently issued a consumer alert regarding Southeastern Michigan University, following a complaint from a legitimate institution about the deceptive practices employed by this fraudulent website.
Southeastern Michigan is just one of nearly 40 fake university websites identified by a recent investigation, which suggests these sites are interconnected through shared language, repeated imagery, and similar design elements. Many of these fraudulent institutions also maintain a presence on social media platforms, further enhancing their deceptive facade.
Moreover, the investigation uncovered numerous websites for non-existent accrediting bodies and a counterfeit U.S. Department of Education site. These sites often feature AI-generated images and templates that mimic legitimate college websites, including links to fake accreditors to lend an air of authenticity. The Department of Education is currently looking into these fraudulent activities.
Fake colleges are not a new phenomenon. For instance, North Carolina’s attorney general previously warned about a fictitious King’s College, and a government sting operation created a fake University of Farmington to combat student visa fraud. Recently, websites advertising colleges that have been closed for years have also emerged.
However, the network revealed by the investigation highlights how generative AI is enabling scammers to rapidly and efficiently create these deceptive sites on a much larger scale.
“This technology significantly reduces the effort required to create a scam site,” explained Jose Marichal, a political science professor who studies the impact of algorithms and AI on society. “Previously, assembling such a site could take weeks or even months, but now it can be done in mere hours.”
AI Expands Scammers’ Reach
The advancement of technology is making it increasingly difficult for consumers to identify fraudulent websites like Southeastern Michigan’s and others that have been flagged in the investigation.
Large language models, which can instantly generate text and images similar to those found on scam college websites, are becoming more adept at mimicking human-created content. For instance, the recent release of the latest version of a popular AI model has been marketed as the most advanced yet, capable of providing expert-level intelligence to users.
While Marichal expressed skepticism about whether the fraudulent college websites were created using generative AI, a computer science professor who developed a tool to detect AI-generated text had one of his students analyze the Southeastern Michigan website. The findings suggested that certain pages, such as the engineering section, were indeed AI-generated.
“A year ago, creating such a site would have involved overcoming various technical challenges,” Marichal noted. “Now, the process is streamlined, allowing for the rapid production of multiple sites at minimal cost. By creating numerous fake institutions, scammers increase their chances of attracting victims.”
‘Didn’t Seem Legit’
One potential student nearly fell victim to the Southeastern Michigan scam while searching for a business degree program, according to a spokesperson for a legitimate university in Ypsilanti.
The fraudulent Southeastern Michigan University prompted a complaint to the state attorney general from a legitimate institution, which accused it of employing deceptive practices.
“A prospective student discovered the Southeastern Michigan University website and found it convincing,” the spokesperson explained. “After reaching out, he was quoted a total tuition fee of $31,000, but was told he would receive a 90% scholarship, reducing his cost to just $3,100.”
The fake university requested documentation for the scholarship application, but the student did not follow through. Shortly after, he received a call from a number that appeared to belong to the legitimate university, informing him that he had been awarded the scholarship, despite not submitting any documents.
Subsequently, he received an admissions offer on letterhead that closely resembled that of the legitimate institution, which raised his suspicions.
“He sensed something was off and questioned the legitimacy of the offer,” the spokesperson recalled, noting that a few others had reported similar concerns about the fraudulent website, although no one has confirmed falling victim to the scam.
A representative from the Michigan attorney general’s office stated that they had not received reports of students losing money due to these websites but had reached out to officials in other states regarding similar schemes and referred concerns to federal authorities.
However, this does not rule out the possibility that others may have been scammed or could be in the future. As of the latest update, the fraudulent website remains active.
“This is concerning because until someone identifies the responsible parties and takes the site down, more prospective students could be victimized,” the spokesperson warned. “We certainly want to prevent that from happening.”
Universities Take Action
While one legitimate university sought assistance from the state attorney general, others facing similar issues have turned to the World Intellectual Property Organization to address domain disputes.
Several universities have successfully filed complaints against websites that misuse their trademarks or similar names. These actions have shed light on a scheme that appears to have been in operation since at least 2021, based on archived versions of the websites that have been taken down. One university pointed to an individual believed to be connected to the scheme through a domain forwarding service.
Another university did not name a specific individual in its complaint but noted that the domain owner provided a contact address in a foreign country. However, a slightly altered version of the website has already emerged.
Additionally, another university named individuals believed to be behind the fraudulent websites in its complaint, suggesting that they are operating from both domestic and international locations. Despite winning domain disputes, new versions of the contested websites continue to appear.
The University of Houston is among the many institutions that have uncovered fake college websites.
Investigators from a reputable education publication reached out to individuals believed to be connected to the fraudulent scheme based on public records and LinkedIn profiles, but received no responses. A review of public records indicates that the individuals are based in the U.S., although the fake university websites are hosted on overseas servers.
Furthermore, a reporter engaged with the chat service on three different websites linked to the fraudulent network. After requesting admissions information through the chat service, a representative provided detailed information about tuition and fees and even offered a demo version of the student portal, while pressing for a registration fee.
A chat operator at the fake university provided insights into the operation.
However, when the reporter questioned the legitimacy of the operation, the operator abruptly ended the conversation.
In response to inquiries, a spokesperson from the Department of Education stated that they are actively investigating these fraudulent activities and will collaborate with relevant authorities to protect students from predatory practices.
Sector Responses
Universities with names similar to those of fraudulent college websites are urging consumers to take proactive measures to safeguard themselves against scams.
“Students have access to many affordable and high-quality educational options within our public university system. It is unfortunate that malicious actors are creating fake university websites to exploit students seeking to achieve their educational goals,” stated a spokesperson for a public university system.
Another university emphasized its ongoing efforts to monitor for threats, including misleading websites, and highlighted the actions taken by its legal team against offending sites.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation has also condemned the rise of fraudulent college and accreditor websites that mimic legitimate institutions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quality and integrity in higher education.
Experts warn that if these fraudulent websites are not shut down, or if similar ones continue to emerge, it could further erode public trust in higher education, especially in a climate where legitimate institutions are often criticized as being overpriced and biased.
“When individuals cannot distinguish between real and fake universities, they may become disillusioned and dismiss the entire system,” cautioned Marichal. “This lack of clarity can lead to a broader distrust in higher education.”