A Birmingham man who ran an internet business selling fake exam certificates has been found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court, following an investigation by Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council. Sentencing has been deferred until 21st September.
David Lee Fox (51) of Coventry Road, Small Heath, ran a company called Business Digest UK, which advertised a variety of exam certificates ranging from GCSEs to Masters degrees from Oxford University.
He was charged with 8 offences; 4 of producing counterfeit qualification certificates which bore registered trade marks without the consent of the trade mark proprietors contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1994, 2 offences of selling a GCSE chemistry certificate and Open University chemistry degree certificate which were infringing copies of a copyright work contrary to the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, and 2 offences contrary to the Fraud Act 2006.
Fox initially claimed that the certificates were being produced and advertised as ‘novelties’, but copies were so authentic that Trading Standards believed that they could be used for a more sinister purpose, such as identity fraud or fraudulently obtaining employment or a place at an educational establishment.
Councillor Neil Eustace, Chair of the Public Protection Committee at Birmingham City Council said:
“This case raises concerns regarding identity fraud and the apparent ease by which it is possible to create an entirely new identity.
“Fake certificates are also detrimental to the safeguards that employers and educational establishments can usually expect to protect them.”
ENDS
For more information please contact Hayley Meachin on 0121 303 1271/ 07920 750007 hayley.meachin@birmingham.gov.uk
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I am glad that this issued has been dealt with, because it is deeply unfair on those whose have genuinely studied and sat through exams, whereas less scrupulous people could go along and buy whatever certificates they wanted.
What if someone was applying for an important medical job and a patient lost their life as a result of getting a job through illegally purchasing one of these certificates?