An individual in India who created and distributed nearly 500 fraudulent certificates under the entity name “Accredited Certification Services Pvt. Ltd.” has been arrested. The case was initiated after the American National Standards Institute became aware of the forged certificates bearing the ANSI logo and involved local law enforcement authorities in Lucknow, India.

According to authorities, the accused had confessed during a police interrogation, to having operated his business for two years, charging up to 25 thousand rupees ($390) per certificate.

Local authorities are now continuing the investigation to determine if other parties were involved in the scheme.

“The ANSI mark is a trusted symbol of quality in today’s marketplace,” said Lane Hallenbeck, ANSI vice president, accreditation services. “ANSI investigates every reported misuse of any ANSI mark, as inappropriate usage is not only fraudulent but may also threaten health and safety.”

ANSI’s requests to cease and desist the improper use of its marks are typically met with compliance. Unfortunately, some illegitimate usage persists despite reasonable legal efforts. In an attempt to alleviate confusion, ANSI has published a list of entities that have been known to misuse the marks in a conformity assessment context. The list is available at www.ansi.org/accreditation/Misuse-of-ANSI-Marks.

To check the legitimacy of a claimed ANSI accreditation, please visit www.ansi.org/Accreditation/who-is-accredited to find accreditation directories by program.