Cyber crooks target IELTS

Though the British Council stopped conducting the test in India from July 25, fraudsters lure students offering test report forms, job interviews, certificates and even UK visas in exchange for cash

Hyderabad: Cyber crooks have caught up with even the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), considered the world’s most trusted high-stakes test for non-native English language speakers.

The globally popular test became the target of fraudsters in India after the British Council stopped conducting IELTS tests in India from July 25. According to a warning put out on the Council website, there were people who were offered IELTS test report forms, job interviews, certificates, IELTS results and even UK visas, all without having to take the test but in exchange for cash.

The Council, reiterating that it does not anymore conduct IELTS in India nor provide UK visas or jobs in exchange for money, has asked people to be vigilant against such offers.

“From 25 July 2021, the British Council has stopped conducting IELTS tests in India. Any websites pretending to be British Council India IELTS registration sites are not associated with us and we are not responsible for the content on those sites,” the Council said.

“We have been apprised by certain members of the public that they have been offered, through various modes of communication, IELTS TRFs (test report forms), job interviews, certificate(s), UK visas, and IELTS results without taking the test in exchange of monetary consideration on letterhead(s) of the British Council. We would like to bring to the notice of the general public that the British Council does not conduct IELTS in India, and does not provide UK visas or jobs in exchange for money,” the warning said.

“The general public is therefore requested to exercise caution in dealing with unscrupulous elements who are issuing such communication,” the warning read, adding that for any clarification on such communication about IELTS, the public could contact the Council by sending an email to security.ielts@britishcouncil.org.

The Council had recently entered into an agreement with the Australia-based International Development Program (IDP) to see that all IELTS tests in India will be delivered by IDP from July 25, 2021.

With the agreement, IDP will be the single test distributor in India for IELTS, which continue to be available in all key cities across the country. The Council’s test locations will gradually be rebranded to IDP IELTS, and candidates have to use the IDP online registration system to book the test.

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