Telegram Scam Exposed: How Fraudsters Are Profiting from KCSE Exam Leaks
As Kenya’s national secondary school exams (KCSE) are underway, a surge of fraudulent schemes on Telegram is targeting students, teachers, and parents, promising access to leaked exam papers at a fee. An in-depth investigation by NTV has revealed how these fraudsters are preying on those seeking unfair advantages, siphoning millions in the process.
The fraudsters exploit a Telegram channel titled “Official KCSE Leakages 2024,” which has amassed over 72,000 subscribers in just five days. Here, subscribers are enticed to pay amounts ranging from Ksh3,500 for a single paper to a now-reduced Ksh12,000 for “VIP access”—a package purported to unlock all exam papers until the exams conclude. The cost initially stood at Ksh18,000 before recent reductions were introduced to attract more subscribers.
According to NTV, these scammers allege that they have exclusive access to KCSE papers and are ready to share them with anyone who pays the stipulated amounts. In an alarming twist, the fraudsters take photographs of the exam papers as they are opened or during the exams to substantiate their claims. One parent reportedly stated, “I was prompted to wait over 30 minutes after payment for verification, but nothing was delivered.”
When NTV reporters tried to obtain a Kiswahili paper by following the scammers’ process, they received an automated response instead of the requested exam. “This is an automated KCSE LEAKAGE BOT. Every resource is available here. Follow the procedure to access KCSE leakages and other services, and contact admin for more,” read the message, alongside prompts to use buttons to access the so-called resources.
The ease with which these fraudsters are able to display exam papers moments after they are opened raises questions about the integrity of examination supervisors and staff, who seemingly still have access to their phones. Ministry of Education officials are already under pressure to prevent such breaches. Just this Friday, Education PS Dr. Belio Kipsang disclosed that only 11 cases involving attempts to bring phones into exam centers had been recorded, underscoring the efforts to curb misconduct.
This revelation has heightened concerns among education stakeholders, as the fraudsters’ deceitful practices not only undermine the KCSE’s credibility but also exploit those willing to cut corners for academic success.
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Telegram Scam Exposed: How Fraudsters Are Profiting from KCSE Exam Leaks
