TOEIC records nulled for 803 over ties to cheating group
Organizers of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) have invalidated the exam records of 803 individuals who are believed to have cheated through a hired imposter.
The Institute for International Business Communication will also disqualify those individuals from taking a TOEIC for five years, officials said July 7.
Wang Likun, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested in May on suspicion of trespassing at a TOEIC exam venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward by impersonating a test-taker.
The Metropolitan Police Department believes Wang was expected to mumble out the correct answers to other test-takers engaged in cheating.
The 803 individuals applied for TOEIC using the same or near-identical address as Wang's since May 2023, according to the organizers.
TOEIC exam venues are assigned based on test-takers' addresses. Applicants from the same neighborhood sit for the test at the same place.
The institute also said it ensures that test-takers have turned off their cellphones before the exam to prevent cheating.
Wang, 27, was hiding a small microphone with an antenna in his mask and wearing a pair of smart glasses with camera functions when he was arrested in May.
He was rearrested twice on suspicion of forging admission tickets to enter other TOEIC exam venues in Tokyo in February and March.
The suspect has refused to discuss the cases, according to investigative sources.
Wang initially told police that he received a message in Chinese around winter 2024 and was told he would be paid if he took the test.
The MPD believes others have provided correct exam answers in similar arrangements.
After Wang's arrest, police found that 77 Chinese nationals who were scheduled to take TOEIC at a venue in Tokyo's Nerima Ward on June 7 used the same address in their applications.
Also, 18 people who were to sit for the exam at a venue in Tokyo's Minato Ward on June 22 used the same address.
Six of those test-takers told police that they were trying to cheat on TOEIC. One admitted to applying for a fraudulent arrangement through social media and paying 50,000 yen ($340).
The MPD suspects that masterminds in China are leading an organized cheating scheme.
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Asahi Shimbun
13 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
TOEIC records nulled for 803 over ties to cheating group
A Chinese graduate student is believed to have been hired to help others cheat at this venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on May 18 for the TOEIC English proficiency test. (Noriki Nishioka) Organizers of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) have invalidated the exam records of 803 individuals who are believed to have cheated through a hired imposter. The Institute for International Business Communication will also disqualify those individuals from taking a TOEIC for five years, officials said July 7. Wang Likun, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested in May on suspicion of trespassing at a TOEIC exam venue in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward by impersonating a test-taker. The Metropolitan Police Department believes Wang was expected to mumble out the correct answers to other test-takers engaged in cheating. The 803 individuals applied for TOEIC using the same or near-identical address as Wang's since May 2023, according to the organizers. TOEIC exam venues are assigned based on test-takers' addresses. Applicants from the same neighborhood sit for the test at the same place. The institute also said it ensures that test-takers have turned off their cellphones before the exam to prevent cheating. Wang, 27, was hiding a small microphone with an antenna in his mask and wearing a pair of smart glasses with camera functions when he was arrested in May. He was rearrested twice on suspicion of forging admission tickets to enter other TOEIC exam venues in Tokyo in February and March. The suspect has refused to discuss the cases, according to investigative sources. Wang initially told police that he received a message in Chinese around winter 2024 and was told he would be paid if he took the test. The MPD believes others have provided correct exam answers in similar arrangements. After Wang's arrest, police found that 77 Chinese nationals who were scheduled to take TOEIC at a venue in Tokyo's Nerima Ward on June 7 used the same address in their applications. Also, 18 people who were to sit for the exam at a venue in Tokyo's Minato Ward on June 22 used the same address. Six of those test-takers told police that they were trying to cheat on TOEIC. One admitted to applying for a fraudulent arrangement through social media and paying 50,000 yen ($340). The MPD suspects that masterminds in China are leading an organized cheating scheme.
Japan Times
16 hours ago
- Japan Times
Over 800 people found to be involved in TOEIC cheating scheme
At least 803 people were involved in cheating schemes on the Test of English for International Communication known as TOEIC over the past two years, the organization that runs the exam announced on Monday. Wang Likun, a 27-year-old Chinese graduate student from Kyoto University, was arrested last month for taking the TOEIC exam while posing as someone else, according to Jiji reports. He was also arrested in May for entering a testing center under a false identity. He is thought to have posed as a different person to take the exam and achieve a high score for whoever had commissioned him to take the test on their behalf. He also attempted to use a small microphone under a mask to tell other test-takers in the same venue the right answers. Given the incident, the organization that administers the exams, the Institute for International Business Communications, conducted an investigation on the tests that were taken between May 2023 and June of this year. So far, the organization found there were 803 test-takers who had submitted home addresses that were the same as or similar to Wang's, which would enable them to take the test at the same venue as him. For those who were identified, their test scores have been nullified and their accounts for the exam have been suspended. The organization is continuing to look into whether there are other cases where addresses that are similar to each other have been used when applying for the exam. There are also suspicions that Wang is part of a bigger cheating scheme involving more people. The exam organization had also implemented new measures since last month to prevent such cheating from occurring, such as test proctors ensuring all examinee's electronic devices are turned off as well as emphasizing the rules of the test and the severe consequences of cheating, such as notifying police. TOEIC is a widely taken English exam in Japan often required when applying for certain jobs or schools, as well as for some career advancements. The test is thought to be valuable for examining the test-takers' abilities to understand English in the business world, as well as in regular conversations. The results are evaluated on a numerical scale where 990 is a perfect score.
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Over 800 suspected of cheating on TOEIC English exam in Japan
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- At least 803 people in Japan are believed to have cheated on an English proficiency test between May 2023 and June 2025, the test's administrator said Monday, adding it has notified the examinees of the nullification of their exam results and a five-year ban on retaking the test. The findings by the Institute for International Business Communication come after Wang Li Kun, a Chinese graduate student at Kyoto University, was arrested for allegedly trying to take TOEIC -- the Test of English for International Communication -- using another person's ID in May. The examinees in question are believed to have taken advantage of the exam system that uses applicants' addresses to allocate testing sites, as they used the same or similar addresses as written on Wang's application. Wang has allegedly told police that he received a message in Chinese around last winter that he would be paid for sitting the exam. The widespread fraud is suspected to have been organized by a Chinese group. The 27-year-old allegedly hid a microphone inside a face mask, apparently to share his answers with other test takers. Around 40 people applied to sit the May exam using the same address as Wang. The suspect has already been indicted on suspicion of forging a private document for sitting exams on another occasion in Tokyo.
