‘There are no shortcuts to IELTS’

Beware of social media posts promoting the acquisition of IELTS (International English Language Testing System) certification without taking the examination, the British Council of Bahrain has warned. Speaking to the Tribune, Richard Rooze, Director British Council Bahrain stated that they are well aware of the issue and are taking measures accordingly.

 “We are aware of widespread attempts to commit fraud in the name of IELTS, online and offline. IELTS is the world’s most popular English language assessment test. Due to its high-stakes nature and value, it attracts all kinds of fraudsters who are out to mislead our test takers, to cash in on their need for IELTS results,” stated Rooze.

“To achieve maximum global reach, they advertise widely online on social media or through dedicated websites. Fraudsters may also approach test takers in person at test centers, test venues or preparation schools, claiming to have insider connections,” he added. Fraudsters usually claim to have access to the IELTS database and be able to change the scores, make fake results appear in the Online Results Verification System and be able to supply test content to test takers prior the test Despite these scam attempts, a minimal number of individuals have succumbed to this illicit activity.

 “Unfortunately, sometimes a small number of test takers mistakenly believe that purchasing a fake certificate is an easy fix. In reality, these criminal groups are likely to scam the customer, and they will find the fakes useless as they can’t be verified on our official online IELTS portal,” revealed Rooze.