Recently, an overseas Chinese blogger interviewed an exam proxy "gunman." What was supposed to be a simple interview, but the details revealed by the interviewee were truly shocking...
This proxy test-taker officially began their career as an IELTS/TOEFL proxy in 2014, and in just three years, they made a fortune.
.png)
However, starting in 2017, the TOEFL exam in mainland China upgraded its entry examination review requirements by adding facial recognition, causing them to lose the mainland Chinese market.
But this did not end their business; instead, it opened up new ideas, and they expanded their "great cause" to Taiwan, China, as well as Southeast Asian regions like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
.png)
The massive influx of Chinese test-takers made the results excessively ideal! "When something is too good to be true, there's usually a catch!" The authorities quickly sensed something was amiss and conducted large-scale investigations.
As expected, most test-takers had their scores canceled, and the proxy test-takers received corresponding legal penalties.
In December 2019, during an English exam, the police arrested all 19 individuals involved. The heaviest sentence was three years in prison, and the interviewee of this incident was sentenced to seven months and fifteen days.
.png)
Source: Shanghai Putuo Court
The incident was shocking, but it is only the tip of the iceberg in the "proxy" industry...
Didi-Style Proxy Learning? Are You Serious?
Some people pay to eat and drink, some pay to request songs, and some pay to hire "me" to attend class!
.png)
A netizen exposed on Xiaohongshu: their boss had a student who was admitted to a UK G5 business major through faked background guarantee. Because the student couldn't complete the coursework with their real abilities, they needed to find a male top student to proxy study for them.
.png)
Source: Xiaohongshu
Although, if this proxy learning can achieve a score of 90, then the annual income is at least 550,000 yuan, and besides not having a degree certificate, they also get the opportunity to study freely at a UK G5 business school!
Anyone missing out on this recruitment info would cry their eyes out in the bathroom...
.png)
In fact, "proxy learning" is not a new phenomenon. As early as 2018, Associate Professor Leah Hollis of Morgan State University in the US wrote an article pointing out that it is common for students in US community colleges to hire ghostwriters to take online courses for them.
In China, signs of this phenomenon first appeared during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be said that the overall environment became a breeding ground for this "unhealthy trend," and proxy learning and exam cheating became increasingly rampant.
Even a casual Google search can find proxy learning agencies that look like legitimate companies. They have mature websites, very professional web design, detailed service descriptions, and price quotes.
It's just, oddly professional...
Faking It Is Fun Until You Get Caught
Of course, as mentioned in the interview at the beginning, in the short term, such behavior may double your profits and even lead you to the peak of life. But once exposed, the price you pay will definitely be painful and regretted for a lifetime!
United States
The US places great emphasis on academic integrity. Every school has an Honor Code, and almost every course syllabus emphasizes the importance of adhering to it.
Acts of cheating such as ghostwriting are categorized according to severity. From light to heavy, penalties include Warning, Probation, Suspension, Dismissal, etc.
United Kingdom
The UK is a country that attaches great importance to intellectual property. Behaviors such as "cheating," "plagiarism," "copying," and "ghostwriting" have very serious consequences.
To curb academic fraud at its root, the UK government enacted a law in 2021 that makes it illegal to operate essay mills. That is, any institution that provides, arranges, or advertises paper-writing services for profit for students over 16 years old will be considered a criminal offense.
.png)
Source: UK Government Official Website
Australia
In 2019, the Australian Department of Education proposed a draft law targeting ghostwriting services. Anyone providing academic cheating services could face two years imprisonment or a fine of up to 200,000 Australian dollars.
.png)
Australia has always severely cracked down on websites offering ghostwriting services.
For international students who use ghostwriting services, many Australian universities have jointly stated that once discovered, the student will be immediately expelled, their student visa revoked, and any student with such a record will not be able to apply to other schools in the future!
China
In terms of academic integrity, China takes even stronger actions!
As early as 2012, the Ministry of Education issued the "Measures for Handling Academic Misconduct in Degree Theses," which clearly stipulates that acts of "ghostwriting or having someone ghostwrite a degree thesis" are considered academic misconduct. Once discovered, both the degree applicant and the ghostwriter will be punished.
.png)
Source: Chinese Ministry of Education Official Website
In 2018, the Ministry of Education issued a notice on strictly investigating buying and writing degree theses in colleges and universities, emphasizing that students involved in buying or writing degree theses should be expelled.
Those who have already obtained graduation certificates or degree certificates will have them revoked according to law. If the revoked certificates have been registered, they will be canceled and reported to the education administrative department to be declared invalid.
The Bottom Line of Academic Integrity and Personal Integrity
Whether international students or domestic students, we should all remember that academic integrity is our bottom line as students, and integrity is also our bottom line as human beings.
Whether it's plagiarism, cheating, proxy exams, ghostwriting, or even proxy learning, these are things we as students should firmly resist.
Especially for Chinese students studying abroad, once caught using a ghostwriter for assignments, the basic penalties include retaking courses, suspension, or probation. In severe cases, they will be directly expelled, have their student visa revoked, and be deported, unable to complete their studies.
Furthermore, some students have exposed unscrupulous ghostwriters who blackmail clients by threatening to expose their past cheating evidence, which is simply a nightmare.
.jpg?x-oss-process=style/opt-webp)
Source: The Daily Telegraph
Studying abroad is a precious and wonderful experience. Don't let a moment of foolishness lead to irreparable consequences. I hope everyone can enjoy their study abroad life, attend classes seriously, learn with integrity, and truly gain knowledge.
Look ahead, the stars are twinkling, covering all the dangers and difficulties on the road. The sweat of youth will eventually shine brightly on the path ahead!
I wish everyone can resist the temptation of shortcuts and successfully complete their studies~
