Criminal groups running offshore cheating cartels are targeting Sydney university students, undermining the education system through illegal cheating, extortion and blackmail.
The arms of the global multimillion-dollar industry are run by Hong Kong-based facilitators who target mostly Chinese students in Australia on campus and via social media, then outsource work to contractors based in Kenya.
One such scheme run at one Sydney university involves the criminal syndicate setting up a Facebook group for a university subject, then “siphoning off” students who are struggling or have questions to a private chat where a sales pitch begins, said one university administrator speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“They effectively pose as fellow students,” the source said.
Once convinced to cheat, students give their log-in details to the cheating company for them to complete the work – opening themselves to blackmail and extortion.
Students targeted by syndicates are often international students, who are particularly vulnerable due to often immense financial pressure and who may struggle with the language.
“When students hand over their log-in credentials, they’re handing over more than the keys to their assessment, they are giving over personally identifying information and placing themselves at huge risk in the future,” said Kane Murdoch, Macquarie University’s head of complaints, appeals and misconduct.
Cheating syndicates’ access to student portals also poses a cybersecurity risk to universities.
As with much of the criminal underworld, it is unclear who is involved in a syndicate, whether it is one large syndicate or several smaller ones and what connections they have.
“Effectively, it’s a multinational enterprise – it’s not necessarily focused on Australia,” the university administrator said. “If not the exact same people, there are equivalents operating in every major higher education market across the globe.”
What is clear is the damage that syndicates are doing to Australian universities and students.
“Contract cheating … is an insidious, illegal industry that preys on vulnerable students,” said Group of 8 chief executive Vicki Thomson. “These companies deliberately target students under pressure and those least able to protect themselves. While institutions can be harmed, it’s students who often pay the highest price – not only their university experience but also their future career prospects.”
The revelations come as university regulator TEQSA – the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency – issued an urgent warning to the sector about contract cheaters brazenly operating on Australian campuses.
“TEQSA is aware of accounts of aggressive and direct promotional activities of commercial academic cheating services that target students studying for an Australian higher education award,” the regulator said.
“Engaging illegal academic cheating services may leave students vulnerable to identity theft and blackmail, and increase cybersecurity risks for students and higher education providers.”
The University of NSW’s report into misconduct from 2024 notes “increasingly aggressive advertising tactics from contract cheating providers”, including emails impersonating lecturers and friends, emails promoting “tutoring” and assessment help, and people inside classrooms and outside lecture halls.
“Representatives have infiltrated student chat groups and social media to persuade students to engage their services,” the report said.
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