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2d ago

IBCA Voids 803 TOEIC Scores and Bars Retakes Over Coordinated Cheating Ring

The IBCA acted after uncovering a network that used matching addresses to reroute test candidates with hidden microphones accompanied by smart glasses relaying answers from a suspected Chinese organization.

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Overview

  • The IBCA invalidated all 803 results and revoked TOEIC eligibility for five years after identifying applicants using identical or near-identical addresses from May 2023 to June 2025.
  • Investigators traced the scheme to a 27-year-old Kyoto University graduate student arrested in May for attempting a substitute exam with a concealed microphone and smart glasses.
  • Police say the suspect received messages in Chinese offering payment and that a Chinese-linked organization recruited stand-in test-takers.
  • Since June, the IBCA has required suspicious applicants to submit ID documents and confirm that smartphones are powered off with disabled eyewear functions before exams.
  • The association is exploring mobile-signal detection equipment at test venues and will probe for other fraudulent applications beyond the 803 cases.