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For years, a Romanian degree mill sold fake diplomas all over the world. Every moth $ 2 million had been transferred into a bank account in Cyprus. On the March 5, however, a joint action of US authorities (FTC) and British authorities shut down all the dozen-or-so websites. However it will probably not put them out of business since their main tools are Email spams and clever telemarketing.

Counterfeiters are reportedly finding ways to foil China's new electronic registration system for university diplomas. According to government statistics, 600,000 fake diplomas are circulating in China, although many officials suspect that the actual number is much higher.

Israel grants government workers 10 to 20% pay increases for every advanced degree they earn; and as a result, dozens of civil servants, including top education officials, have been put under investigation for obtaining fake degrees.

New Delhi police arrested four people for offering to sell the answers to a nationwide examination for physicians. All the students were to meet on the eve of the test and prepare it through the night. They impounded post-dated checks totalling more than $300,000.

A militant group in the Indian state of Manipur shot and wounded seven people this month for allegedly helping students to cheat on their tests. The shootings took place one morning at three testing sites where college students were taking their annual exams.

A study conducted by students at Chulalongkorn University shows that large numbers of students are climbing the academic ladder not by hard work and smarts, but by cheating. Assignments were sold at a rate of 15 to 30 baht per page, depending on the subject matter and the urgency. Students could purchase multiples choice in advance or written exams.

Fees for manipulating entrance test scores are between $80 to $20 000 for the most popular programs, such as computer science, medicine or engineering. Many feel the only way to clean up the system is to expand educational opportunities.