Verification Chronicles: The Double Degree Deceiver

What’s worse than someone lying about their degree? Someone lying about having a double degree!

 
In this instalment of Verification Chronicles, we’re back in the academic realm, where candidates frequently embellish or outright fabricate qualifications, hoping their false claims slip through unnoticed. Academic fraud and credential misrepresentation are common, and dual degrees -due to their impressive nature and complex structure—are particularly tempting to exaggerate.
 
Dual degree programmes, on paper, can sound almost too good to be true. Rather than studying for two separate qualifications, these programmes combine courses, allowing students to earn two academic degrees in a reduced timeframe. Often delivered collaboratively between two universities, this means students receive an award from each institution. It’s understandable, then, that any CV featuring a dual degree would get a significant boost in credibility and appeal.
 
And that’s exactly what Eloy* was banking on with his CV claim:
 

 Any recruiter reviewing this would assume Eloy had successfully completed the programme. The language left no room for doubt: it was presented as a finalised qualification. Some applicants will insert “Not completed” or “(Ongoing)” alongside incomplete qualifications to imply life experience or professional growth. In Eloy’s case, however, no such qualifiers appeared. Not only was a GPA listed, but it even indicated top marks. Clearly, this wasn’t meant to appear as anything but “earned.”
 
Yet the two universities involved had a different perspective.
 
Bocconi University was willing to confirm Eloy’s attendance, but they stopped short of verifying that he’d received an official award - an anomaly, given their consistent reporting style across hundreds of verifications we’ve completed. Sensing something amiss, we sought clarification. Their response revealed a truth Eloy’s CV didn’t hint at:
 
“The student attended only the first year of our DD Programme and then interrupted his studies at Bocconi to pursue another master’s degree at a different university.”
 
So, perhaps ESSEC - Bocconi’s partner in the dual degree programme - could clarify? Given Bocconi’s own course description indicated that the second year took place at ESSEC, it seemed logical that they might provide the missing information.
 

But ESSEC wasn’t as forthcoming.
 
Just as it appeared that Eloy might escape unscathed, our team had an idea. We reached out to Bocconi’s Course Director to connect with their contacts at ESSEC, hoping for insights that would close the case.


 
The approach paid off when Bocconi replied:
 
“My colleague at ESSEC has written to me this information for your reference: 
 
‘Dear Alicia*, 
 
He has been removed from the DD programme as well, as he couldn’t complete the second year. He validated only one semester in Singapore but did not graduate from ESSEC.’”
 
Once again, another CV myth was busted.
 
Claims on CVs are particularly prone to manipulation. For many candidates, a CV is the first opportunity to make an impression, meaning it’s also their first chance to distort, exaggerate, or even fabricate achievements to secure an interview. It’s the moment they control the narrative.
 
This case also highlights the risk of setting a start date before completing thorough background checks. Every employer’s risk tolerance varies, as do the recruitment dynamics for each role. Senior hires and executives typically don’t start until their screening is complete due to the importance of their positions. At junior levels, however, screenings may run concurrently with employment. When discrepancies emerge post-start, the impact is considerable, often leading to difficult decisions, especially if training has already commenced and the new hire has started integrating with the team.
 
In The Counterfeit Credential, we discussed how the frequency of exposed lies can leave one jaded in this line of work. Yet cases like this remind us of the significant role verification plays, despite the deceptive tactics involved. These discoveries underscore the importance of our service and the impact we have on creating transparent, trustworthy workplaces.
 


It’s always fascinating to see how far some will go to present their version of the truth. Thankfully, it’s our job to get to the bottom of it.
 
In Verification Chronicles, every story unearths the many layers of truth within the professional world. Stay tuned as we continue to expose the facts behind the claims—one CV at a time.
 
*Name changed for confidentiality