Scam MBA?

I received an email in my mailbox this evening. I certainly hope that this "David Smith" was being sarcastic. He asked me how much it cost my to obtain my Oxford degree. He got his "Oxford" MBA right here in Malaysia for only RM15,000 and pointed me to the programme - Millionaire's MBA, which he "took" part in. Yes, it's called the "Buiness School for Millionaires Mentored by Millionaires".

This MBA certification is granted by the "Oxford Centre for Leadership (OXCEL)" and it's complemented with the so-called "Oxford Business Club". And guess, what? You can obtain your "prestigious" MBA all within an "intensive" period of 5-days(!).

The website even attempts to pass off its "Oxford" credentials by highlighting "Oxford as an University City" within the site.

And oh dear, it's office is located within a stone's throw away from my current office!

OXCEL Asia
84-A, Jalan SS 21/35, Damansara Utama (Uptown), 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor,
MALAYSIA
Tel: +603 77291070
Fax: +603 7725 5071
Email: enquiry@MillionairesMBA.com

The apparent founders, Saiful and Ernest even got themselves featured in magazines, Usahawan and Dewan Ekonomi.

Well, let me assure you that the Oxford University is certainly not associated with the above programmes, and would certainly not offer a 5-day MBA programme. Oxford University has a Business School of its own, Said Business School and you can find out more about its 1-year MBA programme here. My former Economics tutor when I was at Keble, Dr Tim Jenkinson, is currently the Professor of Economics at the School.

However, you can be assured that an MBA there will set you back at least GBP30,000, excluding living expenses, 14 times more than the alleged RM15,000 "MBA" advertised above. This Millionaires MBA thing certainly doesn't sound too much different from the other infamous bogus university, Irish International University (hint: there's nothing Irish about it), which I've blogged about umpteen times.

So, guys, be warned.