Technology Assisted Cheating

Over the last two years, the Pearson VUE Compliance team in the UK has recorded an increase in
cheating attempts and a change in the methods being used by candidates that want to cheat on
their tests. Increasingly we are seeing different types of technology being used to assist in
cheating and we thought it would be interesting to share some of our challenges and raise
awareness of how cheating patterns change as technology improves.

Traditionally our UK testing programmes have been a target for professional impersonators (proxy
testers). A professional impersonator will usually attend a test and pose as the scheduled
candidate, even presenting the genuine candidate’s identity documents. Professional
impersonators advertise their services and complete this for many candidates earning significant
sums of money as a result. Over the last few years we have conducted extensive training with our
test centre staff and as a result, we are routinely identifying impersonators and have helped our
clients to achieve some great results in securing prosecution and convictions through the UK
criminal justice system.

During the last two years we have noticed that the number of proxy testing/suspected
impersonation attempts has reduced and we have seen a sharp increase in the use of Bluetooth
and mobile/cell phones being used in the testing room to cheat. Some of our UK testing
programmes offer a language voiceover accommodation whereby the candidate listens to the text
being read from the screen through headphones.

This has provided a new avenue for cheating – the candidate is able to conceal a Bluetooth
earpiece under the test centre supplied headphones and either have their cell phone concealed on
their person or even placed in the locker as per test centre procedure but on an active call. The
voiceover then reads the questions and answer options down the Bluetooth earpiece and the
person at the other end of the phone supplies the answers. The image below shows how Bluetooth
works:
As we started to research how candidates were able to bring such items into the testing room we
discovered that there is a wide variety of Bluetooth and other devices on the market that could be
used for cheating purposes or the theft of test content. Here are some examples:

The crucifix pendant (top left) has a concealed camera which could be used to take images of test
content;

The bangle (top centre) has a concealed USB device which could be plugged into our systems;

The necklace (top and bottom right) is actually a Bluetooth earpiece;

The smiley badge (bottom left) has a concealed camera;

The ipod bangle (bottom centre) also has a USB connection.

The watches top left and middle both have cameras and USB connection points;

The watches at the bottom left are all enabled with Bluetooth;

The watch at the top and bottom right is programmable and can pull information directly from the
internet and display it on the watch which could allow candidates to access crib sheets, revision
notes, test answers etc.
Even items as innocuous as pens can conceal other devices:

The pen at the top left is actually a document scanner, you run the pen over paper and it takes an
image. However, we’ve checked and this device can be run over a computer screen and will take a
reasonably good image of the on screen content. This could be used in the theft of test content.

The pens at the top and bottom right have concealed cameras and the pen at the bottom left has a
USB connection point.
The method displayed above which shows how to change the label on a soft drinks bottle using a
scanner and computer to be able to conceal revision notes, apparently this is quite a popular
method with college students!

The chewing gum packet above is actually a camera.

Most of the devices above are relatively inexpensive averaging between £20 - £250 and are very
easy to purchase online.

What all of these devices showed us was that we needed to tighten up the list of prohibited items
and ensure that our security checks were carried out consistently. This included checking behind
candidate’s ears to see if Bluetooth headphones were being concealed.

Whilst this has helped to detect more attempts, what is most surprising are the lengths some
people will go to and the methods that they are now starting to use which we find difficult to
detect with our current security processes. Some examples:

Following a test where Bluetooth cheating was discovered. The candidate booked and attended a
second test during which he was challenged, and a mobile phone was found concealed in his sock.
He was subsequently arrested. During a search at the police station he was found to have a
disassembled Bluetooth device taped to his head behind his ear, which was concealed by a small
hair piece.
 Profile of candidates head before discovery of Hair piece lifted to reveal disassembled
Bluetooth device. Bluetooth device.

Hair piece used to cover disassembled Bluetooth

Disassembled Bluetooth device.
device.

The second example was a candidate that attended their test wearing a traditional hijab. The test
centre staff observed some suspicious activity during the test and it was later discovered that the
candidate had sewn a pocket inside the hijab in which a Bluetooth earpiece was stored.
We have also seen an increase in candidates who are quite obviously wearing wigs yet presenting
photographic ID where they are completely bald, arousing the suspicion that the wig is being used
to conceal a Bluetooth device!

So far we have concentrated our efforts on ensuring that our test centre staff are able to detect
behaviours that may indicate a candidate in the testing room is using a Bluetooth device such as:

• Requesting assistance immediately;

• Turning round;

• Fiddling with headphones provided;

• Excessive volume of headphones provided;

• Continual touching of ears, sleeves, legs or feet;

• Continual movement and general restlessness;

• Muttering / mouthing words;

• Hands in front of mouth;

Whilst this is working to some degree we are now researching whether there is technology that
could support us such as Bluetooth and cell phone detectors or whether we need to change some
of our security processes. At present we are trialling some detection technology in the UK PPC
network and we will keep you posted on the results of the trials.

In the meantime, please be vigilant and ensure that you report any suspected misconduct as per
test centre procedures.