Vàng was taken into custody by the police. — Photo anninhthudo.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a nationwide warning following the exposure of a fraudulent scheme in which a group created a fake organisation to issue conterfeit English language certificates.

Cambridge International targeted individuals seeking language credentials for career advancement.

The group, led by Lê Văn Vàng, 43, and Lương Việt Anh, 37, initially aimed to provide English training courses, but the plan was suspended due to COVID-19.

Seeing a demand for English certification, they established connections with an educational institute where Việt Anh served as director, to launch unauthorised English proficiency exams.

These exams, advertised as globally recognised, were conducted online and marketed to people in need of certificates.

According to the investigation, Vàng and his associates promoted 'Cambridge International' as a prestigious international organisation, duping over 4,200 candidates.

The exams were held on weekends, and certificates were sold for between VNĐ2.3 million (US$91) and VNĐ18 million ($701) each.

The group also created two websites, cambridgetest.online and cbriglobal.info, to facilitate online testing and attract more candidates. The exam structure mimicked internationally accepted tests, such as IELTS, with automatic scoring across four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

In an attempt to lend credibility to their organisation, the group created a fake 'Acceptance Letter' signed by a fictional representative, 'Max Mooney,' under a forged 'Cambridge International CEFR' seal.

Authorities uncovered this fraud after seizing multiple devices and documents related to the scheme, including two fake seals bearing the organisation’s name.

Following the incident, the Ministry of Home Affairs has urged all ministries and agencies to review the credentials of officials and civil servants who may have used these fraudulent certificates. Any officials found to have falsified their qualifications will be subject to disciplinary action.

The Ministry has also advised increasing awareness about such fraudulent schemes, emphasising the importance of caution and due diligence in selecting language certification providers. — VNS