Online Livestreaming Fake Degree Scams: Pay-to-Play Fraud

Who Gets Targeted

The primary victims are recent high school graduates, working professionals pursuing further education, and young people eager to boost their career competitiveness, who often suffer from 'degree anxiety' and possess weak information verification skills. They generally lack experience in identifying legitimate academic channels and are easily lured by promises of 'one-time payment, fast certification' and 'prestigious university endorsements.' Driven by anxiety over degree requirements and wishful thinking, they make impulsive payments and trust forged certificates and fake verification links shown in livestreams. After paying, most receive only fake certificates that cannot be verified through official channels, losing anywhere from several thousand to over ten thousand yuan, with little chance of recovery. A single case reported by the Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security on June 5, 2026, seized 4,125 fake academic certificates and 5,976 forged seals, while other cases involving fake credential affiliation schemes reached as high as 116 million RMB (Source: Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, 2026-06-05; Harbin Public Security Bureau Shuangcheng Branch, 2026-05-19).

骗局怎么运作

• First, scam syndicates post livestream previews on platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou, using exaggerated titles such as 'One-time payment for direct official degree certification.' The livestream features forged degree certificates, university logos, and videos of alleged celebrity alumni, using high-definition effects and subtitles to create an aura of authority and build viewer trust.
• Next, 'senior consultants' in the livestream answer questions, claiming the registration fee is only 2,000 yuan and using tactics like limited-time offers and cash-back incentives to create a sense of urgency. Victims are urged to pay a deposit immediately via links provided by the platform, which often use third-party payment services or direct transfers to overseas accounts to evade regulation.
• After payment, victims receive a 'personal exclusive link' claiming their materials will be submitted to a partner 'overseas online university.' In reality, the backend is a shell organization; all submitted information is merely stored in the scammers' database for future extortion or identity theft.
• In the following days, the scammers demand additional 'acceleration fees' or 'service fees,' claiming that the review process is busy or that expedited issuance is required. After victims provide sensitive personal information such as ID cards and scanned copies of academic records, they are told their materials are still 'under review.' The platform uses various excuses to delay progress, creating a facade to continue extracting money.
• Ultimately, victims receive no formal degree certificates, and no record can be found on the official websites of the Ministry of Education or the overseas universities. The livestream account is closed, and the replays are deleted. Victims are left to report the case to public security authorities with only chat logs and payment receipts as evidence, making the cost of seeking justice high and the recovery of losses difficult.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 Promotional materials use official university logos or forged certificate images, but the associated website domains do not match the real university websites.
• 🚩 Promises of 'one-time payment for immediate certification' at extremely low prices, which are inconsistent with the credit hours and tuition structures of legitimate academic education.
• 🚩 Requests for sensitive personal information, such as ID cards or academic scans, to be sent to unofficial channels or private email addresses.
• 🚩 Frequent use of scarcity marketing tactics in livestreams, such as limited-time flash sales or discounts for the first 50 sign-ups.
• 🚩 Absence of any Ministry of Education filing numbers or legal school operation licenses in the livestream or promotional pages.

真实案例

• On June 5, 2026, the Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security announced a typical case where a livestream room promoted 'online degrees from prestigious European and American universities,' defrauding victims of a total of 1.2 million yuan. Most victims were working professionals aged 18-35. The platform has been shut down. (Source: https://www.chinanews.com/gn/2026/06-05/10634510.shtml)
• On June 26, 2026, the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) issued a warning naming 'Qilu International Education' for selling cross-border remote degrees via Douyin livestreams. They charged approximately 30,000 yuan per person, totaling 2 million yuan. None of the degrees sold were certified, and an investigation has been launched. (Source: https://www.eol.cn/news/yaowen/202606/t20260626_2749625.shtml)
• On July 8, 2026, CNR reported that a non-academic educational institution was selling fake degrees via livestreaming. The fraud amounted to approximately 50,000 yuan per transaction, with most victims being university graduates. The platform went offline and deleted its livestream records immediately after being reported. (Source: http://news.cnr.cn/dj/20260708/t20260708_527698220.shtml)

Official Stance

• Cyber Security Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, 2026-06-05, published '5 Typical Cases of Illegal and Criminal Activities Involving Fake Websites' (Source: https://www.chinanews.com/gn/2026-06-05/10634510.shtml)
• CNR (China National Radio), 2026-07-08, published 'Non-academic Educational Institutions Deceiving the Public: Beware of Fake University Scams' (Source: http://news.cnr.cn/dj/20260708/t20260708_527698220.shtml)
• CCTV.com, 2026-05-27, published 'Special Reminder from the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange: Cross-border Remote Diplomas Have Never Been Included in the Certification Scope' (Source: https://news.cctv.com/2026/05/27/ARTIli9Gs55L4Jw76GtffC1Q260527.shtml)

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Check the list of accredited academic institutions on the official website of the Ministry of Education; any institution not on the list is illegal.
• ✅ Maintain high vigilance against any promotion promising 'degrees for a one-time payment' or 'fast certification.' Legitimate degrees generally require years of study and fulfillment of credit requirements.
• ✅ Verify whether the platform has the academic education qualifications approved by the Ministry of Education before making any payments. Use escrow services provided by third-party payment platforms or utilize credit card dispute resolution functions.
• ✅ If you encounter suspicious activity, save chat logs and payment receipts immediately, report the case to local public security authorities, and file a complaint with the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange.