We get a threat!

This arrived this morning. Scarey, eh?

"To Whom it may concern,

We have come across your website and are in the process of taking legal counsel.

As you clearly do not understand the education law in the US which may vary significantly from your country, you are not in a position to identify our institution as ‘fake’ or associate it with ‘scams’. We therefore ask you to remove those statements from your website.

We aggressively pursue for damages those committing libel and defamation against us (including those located in Botswana), and we note this mail as a precursor evidence of our willingness to settle the matter amicably if the matter later arises to a costs order. (In other words, if this proceeds to court, and you did not heed the warning, it will be used as a means for us to obtain our legal fees from you as well as substantial damages).

University of SouthCentral Los Angeles"

I think they are upset by the references we made to them here and here.

This is the "university" that does not appear to be accredited by any legitimate accreditation body. It's the "university" that rather then being based in "SouthCentral Los Angeles" (Yes I wonder about the absence of a space as well) says on it's web site that in fact it:

"is registered in the British Virgin Islands".

This is the "university" that offered me a scholarship to obtain a PhD for a mere $850 despite me providing them with absolutely no details of prior qualifications, skills or aptitude.

This is the "university" that says I can get this qualification by:

"written assignment and multiple choice based questions through self learning & distance learning"

and that I can get the qualification without actually doing any reading. A PhD by multiple choice questions??? Are they serious?

You can see more coverage by other people here, here, here and here.

And finally, perhaps they should consider Section 195 of the Penal Code of Botswana which states that a publication is not defamatory if:

"the matter is true and it was for the public benefit that it should be published".

I think it's in the public interest for this to be known, don't you?