I've been accused of cheating on a course

[flopsyandjim]

Apologies if this is long but I don't want to drip feed and I swear what I am saying is the truth.

For background: I am a disabled person. I have multiple disabilities both physical and mental - I have ptsd and have been suicidal in the past.

Despite my disabilities, I have achieved a Cert HE, a BA, a PgD, a MSC and I plan to do a PHD in the future.

I have always been employed and I did these courses distance learning or part time. I am currently employed in a university - this is relevant.

During lockdown, I did several upskilling modules to keep me busy if I wasn't able to go to the gym etc. I also enrolled in a online A level course and got a grant for the cost of this due to my disabilities.

I have had a lot of problems with this course due to its inaccessibility eg I am visually impaired and have highlighted these issues repeatedly to little change. I failed some assignments first time around and I am working on resubmissions. I have regular talks with other students and some of them are not happy. There are no exams, just written assignments.

Well I've now been contacted by one of the A level course tutors to say that my essays have been found on a cheating essay website alongside my picture as my profile picture.

I've never heard of this website before today. I went to have a look and there are some of my essays on there (do not know how they got them) alongside several lesson plans for such as "how to learn English" (which are not my work at all). It also has me registered as studying in India (which I never have).

I told the tutor that this is not my account and I have no idea how the essays got there. I have never shared my essays with any one other than my tutors.

He says I need to get them taken off or there could be serious repercussions. I cannot get them off if it is not my account. I have tried contacting the site to ask for them to be removed but their FAQs say they don't remove content once uploaded?

I am terrified. Whilst I don't care if I get kicked off the A level course (even though I'm innocent), I am worried about what implications this could have for me in other areas. Could my work find out? Could it affect my hopes of doing a PHD?

On that basis, all my assignments for my degree and postgrad courses had to go through turnitin and never did any issues come up. I got Merit and Distinction passes.

Why would I cheat on an A level course I don't even really need? Why?

I am terrified about what this could mean for me and also worry that other students on the course could be impacted. I am honestly innocent and I'm trying to get it resolved. I've changed all my passwords in case of a computer or email hack. I don't know what else I can do. Help and advice very much welcome, especially from those with experience of something like this. Sorry for the length.

Re: Gmail.

1. There was a huge hacking incident not long ago. It could have compromised your account. I use a more secure provider and only use Gmail where I can't use a proper e.mail address. Gmail is crap.

1. There are instructions online to hack Gmail accounts. Easy to find www.bing.com/search?q=gmail+hack&form=ANNTH1&refig=c7c8a06a64df4f538340829767a1febc&sp=-1&ghc=1&pq=gmail+hack&sc=8-10&qs=n&sk=&cvid=c7c8a06a64df4f538340829767a1febc

In the meantime OP I think you should think about having an overhaul of your passwords and accounts and general internet security.

As a PP mentioned I’d have separate accounts for different things.

I've already changed all passwords and I have another email account which I will switch too.

It would be worth checking the terms and conditions of the course/institution to see if that is explicitly mentioned as a breach, so you know what the worst case scenario might be.

That's the other thing. I can't find anything on the course website about rules, code of conduct, plagiarism or anything! That would be my other argument in my defence maybe.

I'd keep that argument in your back pocket for now. Otherwise it'll sound like you're trying to justify something you did rather than making it very clear you didn't do it.

Any follow-up from your course @flopsyandjim?

I have heard nothing further. No contact whatsoever. I have no idea what's happening. No idea if I can submit my final assignments and be allowed to pass them and complete the whole course.

Well that's hardly comforting, is it? You must be stressed out of your head!

Honestly that's just rude of them. Can you complain higher up the chain?

I'm starting to wonder if the tutor has actually passed the matter higher up or if it was just a threat or something (in which case he's an arsehole).

I haven't heard anything from the person above him I emailed either. Not sure what to make of that, maybe they don't know what I'm talking about!

If it were me, I'd complain at the top now, because it isn't reasonable not to respond to you.

Being accused of plagiarism was my worst nightmare when writing my thesis and I did use free plagiarism checking websites section by section (we could only use turnitin once at the point of submission) and now I'm shitting myself thinking they might have retained my work somehow?! Hoping you get a clear answer soon OP. I'd be majorly pissed off for your tutor making such a big accusation and passing his concerns on leaving you hanging. Chase it up and tell them how stressed all of this is making you.

Can you complain about this on social media? That might get them to pull their heads in? (Or bite you on the bum....)

I'm really angry now. Still nothing.

I think I need to send another email but not sure how to word it without letting my anger boil over. Any suggestions for wording would be good.

Agree with PP don't let this drop, Chase and chase again.

I think you need to ask the tutor for copies of all correspondence with others relating to this matter.

I would let the anger boil over tbh. I found that many natives here write emails so politely it's sometimes sounds like they are actually fine with the issue. Be frank, be angry (you have all right to be), but not ruuuude.
Don't say sorry like "Sorry to bother you". No.

I found that short no sorry email having the word frankly in it always works😂

Email higher. Find regulatory authority for them and say you will be contacting them about this matter as the provider is not communicating. And then, if they don't reply properly (meaning actually acknowldging the issue and working on it) contact that authority for real. It's not just a threat. Someone oversees them, that someone should be able to help you.

Send a Data Protection Subject Access Request for copies of all communications that the course provider has that relate to you and to this accusation.

Send the most senior person you contacted a brief follow-up up to explain: My complaint on Y date has not even been acknowledged for X days, so unless I receive a full and frank response by Z date I will raise a complaint with the Office for Students."
Check, but this should be their regulator: www.officeforstudents.org.uk.

okay, very very lengthy email of complaint sent. Nervous now.

It was a firm email and no it wasn't an "sorry to bother you" email - my DH says that all the time and it annoys the hell out of me - he's way too polite!

I'll report back on what happens. Either they don't know everything cause the tutor is just making threats, or I will be making things worse for myself in some way. Who knows.

I don't care so much about the qualification, or even the cost. What I care about is my professional reputation and being treated in such a way. Hope I get a speedier reply this time.

I hope you get some results. I have a feeling that perhaps this tutor might have been selling your assignments in the first place. It's all too convenient for him to be throwing a wobbly at you and then going off radar.

How strange op. Hope they sort it quickly for you!

Hope you get answers soon OP, this is awful 🌺

got a reply

They say they sent me two emails and attached them - they never arrived until today?

They want a copy of all communications between me and the cheating website. I can provide this but it seems to be an indian website so the language is poor and the website keeps referring to "your account" when it isn't my account. Its a pretty generic "yes we will delete your account" that doesn't help my case in any way

The senior person who emails me also wants to email my current employer to ask if my IT department can check my computer etc for any hacks that may explain what happened. I do not want my employer contacted even though my friend in IT did say it is most likely a hack.

This may be outing but I don't care anymore. I'[m totally innocent and I'm really angry and upset about all this.

Oh and they don't seem to have acknowledged my subject access request either....

they are literally trying to destroy your reputation and life by refusing to acknowledge they are wrong. Is there someone independent who could verify the integrity of your computer 🌺

@WisnaeMe

they are literally trying to destroy your reputation and life by refusing to acknowledge they are wrong. Is there someone independent who could verify the integrity of your computer 🌺

That.

I wonder who vould help and advice you at this further. I think you might have to speak to your employer. Is there someone really trustworthy?