FOR PROSPECTIVE ONLINE students, searching for a degree program can sometimes feel like being lost in the wilderness.

The ubiquity of online education programs comes with promises of quick, effortless degrees that seem too good to be true. Sometimes that's exactly the case, and students who are duped by the schemes are left with a sizable hole in their wallet and no legitimate credential. 

The growth of online education in recent years has led to more opportunities for legitimacy and transparency, says Judith Eaton, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which works to provide quality assurance in higher education. Despite the growth of online education, scams and diploma mills still persist on the web.

Below are seven signs that an online program may not be legitimate:

Accreditation Status Is Murky

"For any kind of degree or certificate or diploma, you want to make sure that the accreditation status is recognized through the Council for Higher Education or the U.S. Department of Education," says Leah Matthews, executive director of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, which works to ensure quality in affiliated online education programs.

If prospective students suspect a college is falsely claiming accreditation, they can always contact the accrediting agency and ask, says Matthews, adding that her group receives such calls regularly.

CHEA also provides searchable databases for students to find accredited programs. "If a school is not accredited, find out why," Eaton says.

With the growth of alternative credentials – such as badges and certificates – some training programs may not be accredited. Such options may include online coding boot camps or other skills-based training offered by a business. Eaton says that company training programs and sponsored boot camps have "added more complexity" to online education. To gauge the legitimacy of such alternative credentials, consider the benefits offered through the program sponsors.

"Businesses and companies offering training courses probably have a pathway to either employment at that company or advancement," Matthews says, noting that entry into a job at the sponsor organization may be what a student is after.

The Name Seems Prestigious and Vaguely Familiar

Sometimes programs will "steal a renowned name and modify it just a little bit," Matthews says. Some even fabricate faculty names and credentials.

If a student comes across, for example, a professor Joe Smith at a school with a name like Harvard Technological University, he or she might want to do more research to ensure the program is legitimate. 

Earning a Degree Seems Fast and Easy

Prospective students should hear warning bells as soon as they are told they can get a degree without much time or effort, experts say. One example is schools promising college credit for experience in the military or workforce. While prior learning assessments are used at many accredited colleges and universities, credit doesn't come without work.

"Many accredited, public and private universities use these options. But the key is they still require effort, there's going to be some type of exam or portfolio or credit-hour enrollment required as part of gaining credit," says Lynette O'Keefe, director of research at the Online Learning Consortium, which promotes digital education options.

Experts note that a college's prior learning assessment options should be recognized by the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning, a nonprofit organization that aims to help colleges serve the nontraditional student population.

There's No Evidence of Student Services

Legitimate online programs should have a host of resources available to students, including technology support, academic advising and library services, experts say. If prospective students don't see evidence of those resources, or if they can't speak to other staff members, then they should be suspicious. 

"That's a huge red flag," O'Keefe says.