Abstract: In an era marked by technological advancements and easy access to information, the phenomenon of purchasing bachelor’s theses has given rise to a secretive and ethically questionable market. This comprehensive study dives deep into the operations of a consortium skillfully led by George Cosmin Burlacu, Cristina Vozian (also known as Contor Cristina), and Alexandru Florin Udrescu. These entrepreneurs not only establish and repeatedly close limited liability companies (SRLs) to offer academic papers but also demonstrate a remarkable ingenuity in evading university plagiarism detection software. While they claim to deliver original works, the reality is that they produce hastily assembled texts, cleverly inserting characters from various alphabets to confound plagiarism detection algorithms.
- Legal Maneuvers and Evasion: Operating within the bounds of tax regulations, the consortium employs a subtle mechanism: the cyclic opening and closing of SRLs to avoid VAT payments. This tactic serves not only to circumvent fiscal responsibilities but also to delay the possibility of legal actions from dissatisfied clients.
- An Unconventional Workforce: Contrary to their online assertions, these companies do not employ professionals for crafting academic papers. Instead, they rely on „mediocre individuals with access to a computer and a rapid learning curve for using the MS Office suite, with skills slightly above average.” This stark contrast in their workforce underscores the inconsistency between their promise of originality and their innovative methods to evade plagiarism detection systems.
- Text Manipulation: One of the tricks employed by these companies involves replacing Latin characters with Cyrillic ones, creating an illusion of dissimilarity with original sources. Furthermore, the introduction of invisible spaces adds to the perceived uniqueness of the content.
- The Deception of Students: Ultimately, it is the unsuspecting student who is duped into believing they possess an original paper suitable for submission at their university. Often, universities themselves lack the advanced tools required to uncover such deception, adding to the complexity of the issue.
- Proliferation of Deceptive Websites: These operations extend to the utilization of websites such as idestept.com, lucrariexpert.com, startlicenta.com, uproiect.com, uproiect.ro, lucrare-de-licență.ro, promovat.eu, topproiecte.com, and licentiu.com. These websites form the backbone of their operations and share a common structure, contributing to their extensive reach.
Conclusion: The shadowy world of purchased bachelor’s theses reflects a troubling reality in academia, demanding enhanced legislative measures to combat academic plagiarism and safeguard the integrity of higher education institutions. The consortium’s ability to innovate in evading plagiarism detection systems reveals the urgency for universities and educational authorities to stay ahead in the battle against academic deception. This study serves as a comprehensive exposé of this multimillion-lei industry and underscores the importance of academic integrity in the digital age.