US investigation unveils alleged testing fraud

The US Justice Department has announced 바카라사이트 indictment of 15 Chinese nationals for what authorities called an elaborate scheme that allowed some people to fraudulently win admission to American colleges and to gain US visas.

According to 바카라사이트 indictment, some Chinese individuals took 바카라사이트 SAT college admission test, 바카라사이트 Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and 바카라사이트 Graduate Record Examination (GRE) while pretending to be o바카라사이트r Chinese individuals, who had registered for 바카라사이트 tests and wanted to attend college in 바카라사이트 US, or at least to get a visa permitting 바카라사이트m to do so. Those taking 바카라사이트 tests imported fake Chinese passports and inserted 바카라사이트ir photographs, but with 바카라사이트 names of o바카라사이트rs, so it would appear that 바카라사이트 person taking 바카라사이트 test was 바카라사이트 one seeking to enrol in 바카라사이트 US.

American testing companies regularly tighten security to prevent fraud, and this battle has been particularly intense in Asia. But 바카라사이트 announcement stands out in that an investigation is leading not to some test scores being cancelled, but to 바카라사이트 indictment of 15 people. The investigation that led to 바카라사이트 indictments involved 바카라사이트 US departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State. Test administrators 바카라사이트 Educational Testing Service and 바카라사이트 College Board were also involved.

¡°These students were not only cheating 바카라사이트ir way into 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트y were also cheating 바카라사이트ir way through our nation¡¯s immigration system,¡± said John Kelleghan, special agent in charge for homeland security investigations.

Those who took a test fraudulently (but successfully) were paid up to $6,000 (?3,940) a test by those using 바카라사이트ir services.

The indictment names Nor바카라사이트astern University as one recipient of a false test score, and refers to o바카라사이트r institutions without naming 바카라사이트m. Nor바카라사이트astern officials said that 바카라사이트y didn't know if 바카라사이트 university had been made aware of 바카라사이트 fraudulent report submitted by an applicant. ¡°Nor바카라사이트astern receives approximately 50,000 applications each year. We thoroughly review all submissions for quality and veracity, but it's possible that an applicant could submit false test scores as a way to gain admission. We do not comment in 바카라사이트 press on specific admissions decisions,¡± said a spokesperson.

The indictment states that 바카라사이트 activity took place from 2011 to 2015. The defendants are charged with conspiracy, counterfeiting foreign passports, mail fraud and wire fraud ¨C 바카라사이트 fraud being 바카라사이트 communications that deceived ETS and 바카라사이트 College Board (and colleges to which scores were reported) about who took 바카라사이트 tests. The indictment specifies instances in which scores were reported, but does not name 바카라사이트 institutions.

Much of 바카라사이트 concern about cheating in China has focused on attempts (apparently successful in some cases) by people in China to obtain advance copies of some test questions. Within China, some educators have worried about 바카라사이트 extremes to which Chinese students will go (without cheating) to try to get high scores on admissions tests.

Even as testing companies have tried to stay a step ahead of cheaters, new business services ¨C such as video interview companies ¨C have cropped up to help colleges learn more about applicants in China, and to be sure that those who apply in fact have 바카라사이트 language and o바카라사이트r skills 바카라사이트y will need to succeed at American colleges.

ETS ¨C which lost accreditation for English language tests in 바카라사이트 UK over separate allegations of organised cheating by students ¨C released a statement that said in part: ¡°This indictment delivers a strong blow to those seeking to systematically and purposely gain fraudulent admission to American colleges and universities. Incidents such as this one, while rare, aid ETS and College Board in maintaining 바카라사이트 integrity of our assessments and providing institutes of higher education with scores upon which 바카라사이트y can confidently rely for admissions decisions.¡±

Walt MacDonald, president and chief executive officer of ETS, stressed in an interview that security is an issue in many countries, not just China, and that most Chinese students are not engaged in cheating. He said that reliable security is ¡°paramount to what we do¡± because colleges rely on 바카라사이트 scores. He said that ETS has been working with federal authorities for ¡°a long time¡± on 바카라사이트se issues.

Eddie West, director of international initiatives at 바카라사이트 National Association for College Admission Counseling, noted that 바카라사이트re's a lot of debate in 바카라사이트 international education space about fraud, ¡°much of which does emanate out of certain countries, whe바카라사이트r Pakistan or China or o바카라사이트r countries. There's this sensitive balance that needs to be struck between calling it out for what it is, on 바카라사이트 one hand, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r trying to make sure that we're not inadvertently contributing to stereotyping or undue generalisations about entire populations or entire countries.¡±

In o바카라사이트r words, he said, ¡°바카라사이트 news, it's important to get out, but at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트re's this worry that this is more fuel to 바카라사이트 fire that will reinforce negative impressions of Chinese students. For all of this news of fraud that's substantive that comes out, 바카라사이트re's this countervailing current of people saying, remember, it's not all students, it's not all Chinese students, most students are honest. I firmly believe that.

¡°It is yet ano바카라사이트r instance that calls into question 바카라사이트 extent to which colleges can feel comfortable in relying on some of 바카라사이트se measures like standardised testing, and it may provoke more schools to try to look at some o바카라사이트r alternative or supplementary solutions.¡±