Juan Posada ToroCustomer Success Manager| Rockwell AutomationEnvigado, Antioquia, Colombia
A PMP credential represents more than letters on a resume. It represents a commitment to professional competence, ethics, and trust. But what happens when that trust is deliberately abused?
What would you do if you discovered someone claiming to be a PMP when the credential cannot be verified, an organization using the PMI logo without authorization, or someone offering to take the PMP exam on behalf of candidates for money? Would you confront the person, report it to PMI, or assume it is not your responsibility?
Certification fraud does more than give one person an unfair advantage. It can undermine the credibility of thousands of legitimate credential holders and erode the trust organizations place in project professionals.
How can we help protect the integrity of the PMP credential while acting fairly, responsibly, and in accordance with the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct?
Have you ever encountered a questionable certification claim or suspected credential fraud? What did you do?
Let’s explore this topic together and hear different perspectives.
The one challenge with the registry is that people can opt out of being included which can make it challenging to verify whether they hold the credential or not. In a hiring context, it is reasonable for HR or the hiring manager to ask for proof of qualifications such as their certificate, but outside of that context it might be difficult to be 100% sure.
Kiron
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1 reply by Stelian ROMAN
Sep 06, 2026 5:53 PM
Stelian ROMAN
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100% sure is indeed hard; certificates can be easily falsified. I believe that any HR department must know how to find out if a certification that they requested is valid. On the other hand, I personally don't see any reason to opt out after you invest time and money to get a certification that may help your career.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Juan, this raises an important issue because protecting the integrity of a credential requires both action and restraint.
I would distinguish suspicion, verification and adjudication.
A credential not appearing in the public PMI Certification Registry is not, by itself, evidence that the credential is false, since credential holders may opt out of appearing there. Similarly, unauthorized logo use, a false credential claim and proxy testing are different forms of misconduct and may require different evidence and reporting channels.
So, for me, the responsibility is not simply to choose between confronting someone, reporting them or doing nothing.
It is to verify what can reasonably be verified, distinguish facts from assumptions, preserve relevant evidence, and report a sufficiently substantiated concern through the appropriate channel. Just as importantly, we should avoid turning suspicion into accusation.
This reflects an important balance in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct: we have responsibilities regarding unethical conduct, but complaints should also be substantiated by facts.
There is also a governance question behind the ethical one. Credential holders can help protect the integrity of the profession, but determining whether a credential is fraudulent ultimately requires legitimate authority and due process. We can observe, verify, document and report. We should not assume the authority to adjudicate.
Perhaps the difficult question is therefore not only, “What is our responsibility?”
It is also: At what point does a reasonable suspicion become sufficiently substantiated to create a responsibility to report, while still protecting procedural fairness?
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1 reply by Stelian ROMAN
Sep 06, 2026 5:54 PM
Stelian ROMAN
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"We should avoid turning suspicion into accusation." That's the best way to follow ethical values.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Juan, I agree with Kiron's feedback. If someone opts to not be included in the registry and also make their credential private on Credly, it will make it challenging to verify. You can always reach out to PMI but I am not too sure if they will disclose any info on other individuals.
In my opinion, being included in the registry should be mandatory, not optional.
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3 replies by Aung Sint, Kiron Bondale, and Stelian ROMAN
Sep 06, 2026 8:01 AM
Kiron Bondale
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100% agree, Rami. PMI is the only credentialling body for the PMP and the other certs, so there is no reason they cannot provide a guaranteed confirmation of whether someone holds a credential or not.
Every other major credentialling body has that ability so PMI needs to step up. It could be as simple as a Yes/No response on a form which requests a couple of pieces of identifying information about someone who claims to hold the credential. They don't need to provide a search capability or anything else.
Kiron
Sep 06, 2026 9:49 AM
Aung Sint
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Curious about the rationale for the option to opt out of the credential registry. I thought the registry provides a trusted source for anyone to verify the certification's validity.
Sep 06, 2026 5:56 PM
Stelian ROMAN
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Rami, I agree that it should be mandatory. I wonder what the reason would be to opt out.
Saving Changes...
Shenila ShahabuddinPrincipal Consultant| Optimizia INCKarachi, Sind, Pakistan
A very important conversation. The value of the PMP credential ultimately depends on the trust and integrity associated with it.
I particularly appreciate the emphasis on acting responsibly rather than making assumptions. If we encounter a questionable credential claim, the right response is not to publicly accuse or confront someone, but to verify the facts and use the appropriate channels for reporting concerns.
As project professionals, protecting the credibility of our profession is a shared responsibility. Upholding ethics isn't only about passing an exam or maintaining a certification, it is about demonstrating integrity in how we conduct ourselves every day. Saving Changes...
Juan, I agree with Kiron's feedback. If someone opts to not be included in the registry and also make their credential private on Credly, it will make it challenging to verify. You can always reach out to PMI but I am not too sure if they will disclose any info on other individuals.
In my opinion, being included in the registry should be mandatory, not optional.
100% agree, Rami. PMI is the only credentialling body for the PMP and the other certs, so there is no reason they cannot provide a guaranteed confirmation of whether someone holds a credential or not.
Every other major credentialling body has that ability so PMI needs to step up. It could be as simple as a Yes/No response on a form which requests a couple of pieces of identifying information about someone who claims to hold the credential. They don't need to provide a search capability or anything else.
Juan, I agree with Kiron's feedback. If someone opts to not be included in the registry and also make their credential private on Credly, it will make it challenging to verify. You can always reach out to PMI but I am not too sure if they will disclose any info on other individuals.
In my opinion, being included in the registry should be mandatory, not optional.
Curious about the rationale for the option to opt out of the credential registry. I thought the registry provides a trusted source for anyone to verify the certification's validity. Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
A useful reminder, Juan. The registry is the best first step to confirm whether someone has a PMI certification. Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Sep 04, 2026 4:22 PM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Juan -
The one challenge with the registry is that people can opt out of being included which can make it challenging to verify whether they hold the credential or not. In a hiring context, it is reasonable for HR or the hiring manager to ask for proof of qualifications such as their certificate, but outside of that context it might be difficult to be 100% sure.
Kiron
100% sure is indeed hard; certificates can be easily falsified. I believe that any HR department must know how to find out if a certification that they requested is valid. On the other hand, I personally don't see any reason to opt out after you invest time and money to get a certification that may help your career. Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Sep 04, 2026 5:03 PM
Replying to Luis Branco
...
Juan, this raises an important issue because protecting the integrity of a credential requires both action and restraint.
I would distinguish suspicion, verification and adjudication.
A credential not appearing in the public PMI Certification Registry is not, by itself, evidence that the credential is false, since credential holders may opt out of appearing there. Similarly, unauthorized logo use, a false credential claim and proxy testing are different forms of misconduct and may require different evidence and reporting channels.
So, for me, the responsibility is not simply to choose between confronting someone, reporting them or doing nothing.
It is to verify what can reasonably be verified, distinguish facts from assumptions, preserve relevant evidence, and report a sufficiently substantiated concern through the appropriate channel. Just as importantly, we should avoid turning suspicion into accusation.
This reflects an important balance in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct: we have responsibilities regarding unethical conduct, but complaints should also be substantiated by facts.
There is also a governance question behind the ethical one. Credential holders can help protect the integrity of the profession, but determining whether a credential is fraudulent ultimately requires legitimate authority and due process. We can observe, verify, document and report. We should not assume the authority to adjudicate.
Perhaps the difficult question is therefore not only, “What is our responsibility?”
It is also: At what point does a reasonable suspicion become sufficiently substantiated to create a responsibility to report, while still protecting procedural fairness?
"We should avoid turning suspicion into accusation." That's the best way to follow ethical values.
...
1 reply by Luis Branco
Sep 07, 2026 4:35 AM
Luis Branco
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Thank you. I agree.
Ethical responsibility requires us to take legitimate concerns seriously, while preserving the distinction between suspicion and established fact.
That does not mean ignoring a concern.
It means verifying what can reasonably be verified, reporting when there is sufficient factual basis, and leaving adjudication to those with the legitimate authority to make that determination.
Ethical vigilance and procedural fairness should reinforce each other, not compete.
Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Sep 04, 2026 6:50 PM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
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Juan, I agree with Kiron's feedback. If someone opts to not be included in the registry and also make their credential private on Credly, it will make it challenging to verify. You can always reach out to PMI but I am not too sure if they will disclose any info on other individuals.
In my opinion, being included in the registry should be mandatory, not optional.
Rami, I agree that it should be mandatory. I wonder what the reason would be to opt out. Saving Changes...
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