Thinking about getting your high school degree online? It sounds convenient, but before you sign up the experts warn you to think again because it may be a trick.
The Better Business Bureau says several of these organizations will take your money, but they won't give you the skills you need...leaving you out of money and out of luck.
The sites promise they're accredited and affordable educations.
"They're just trying what can I do to get a job, what can I do to make myself more attractive to an employer to be able to hire me?" said Tom Gallagher with the Richmond BBB.
He says not to be fooled. Some of the schools aren't who or what they claim to be.
"We checked with the Virginia Department of Education. These folks aren't accredited by anyone you would want them to be accredited by," said Gallagher.
We found Belford High School on a list of fraudulent online schools.
Alford High School was on the BBB's list of questionable sites. 14 people have made inquiries about them to the BBB.
We checked in with Alford High School at the number provided on their web site. A senior student counselor told us they're legitimate, because they have a money-back guarantee. He said they were not a scam.
He added, though, that not every business or school would accept their diploma. Gallagher says it's not worth the risk: "Go to your bank, go to your credit card company and say wait a minute, I got scammed on this thing. Do it quickly. Don't waste any time, because after a certain period of time, you're not going to be able to be protected with that."
Experts with the BBB say if you do want to further your education online, do your research and check with the Department of Education in your state.
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