Why you shouldn’t buy your matric certificate

As the class of 2022 sits for their final matric exams, the reality, and pressure to pass the exam is mounting.

Those who suspect the writing may be on the wall might be desperate enough to conjour ways to crook the system.

Fraudulent certificates

One of the most searched terms on Google around this time of year is “Where to buy a matric certificate?”

Last year, Umalusi issued a warning against buying fraudulent certificates online. The education authority said, at the time, they’d seen an increase in the number of people selling fraudulent certificates on online media platforms.

Either buying or selling fraudulent certificates is a serious criminal offence, therefore, Umalusi is currently working with law enforcement agencies to track down these criminals and institute a legal process against them.

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Over 120 000 Gauteng school applicants unplaced but MEC urges parents to ‘stay calm’

– CEO of Umalusi, Dr Rakometsi (2021)

The consequences if you are caught could result in a fine or even face jail time.

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“You will have a criminal record as well which is damaging to your future,” said Rakometsi.

Umalusi is the council in charge of quality assurance for education and training. They assess results for public and private institutions and certify and verify the credibility of results and exam papers.

Advancing technology to detect fake documents

Cape Town-based tech company SprintHive, which specialises in document verification for companies, said advancements are being made daily regarding detecting fraudulent documents.

“We can use passive detection techniques such as metadata and discrete cosine transform or DCT – which analyses and detects inconsistencies,” said SprintHive digital marketer Dineo Kadzviti.

Kadzviti said that while technicians haven’t seen any fake certificates on the market, its not impossible to find one, especially if the person was desperate enough.

“The alignment, spacing, features and font: These can be detected by human eye, but certificate details can also be directly verified through Umalusi,” explained Kadzviti.

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