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Original poster

I've been accused of cheating on a course

188 replies

flopsyandjim · 08/03/2021 18:32

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.

OP posts:
Weatherwarnings · 25/03/2021 14:20

Op of the essays on the site are in your name what would you have technically done wrong even if you did upload them? It would be frowned upon because it could encourage others to cheat I suppose but it’s not actually cheating is it?

If you pull out of the course do you think that would be the end of it? You shouldn’t have to but maybe that would be less stress for you.

MRex · 25/03/2021 14:55

Do you have a copy of the emails you sent as well? That would make it clear that you are being truthful.
Did you speak with your own HR team yet, they would be the first port of call for help and hopefully will be on your side. You should ask them explicitly for help that the people running this course are creating great stress in accusing you of cheating, and you don't know what to do for the best.

What laptop / desktop were the essays on? I don't understand why your work should be checking for hacks and not the college or did you tell them it was a university work laptop?

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 15:27

I am not doing the course through work, I'm doing it in my own time, using my home computer but I did ask someone I know in my work IT department what they thought and they said it sounded very much like a hack.

I can, and will, forward email exchanges between myself and the tutor and cheating website (regarding getting the information off)

The course provider are saying its a copyright breach as the essays are their material rather than my material?

I don't know what more I can do. I did think abut getting further advice but that could cost.

I don't know what they will do either. They may kick me off the course which wouldn't affect me too much as I don't really need the qualification but I thought maybe use it for a side business, some freelance work on the side perhaps. I also don't like being labelled a cheat.

I just have to wait and see what happens now I guess.

I am curious as to how they found this site with my details on it...was someone else cheating? Genuinely cheating, whereas I wasn't?

OP posts:
Whatflavourjellybabyisnice · 25/03/2021 15:52

They are being really unfair. Sounds like someone's power trip to me.

MRex · 25/03/2021 15:56

Your work IT should not be checking your home computer for a hack, the college should offer to do it if they think that will help. Did you look up who their regulator is to see if it's OfS?

WisnaeMe · 25/03/2021 16:00

@MRex

Your work IT should not be checking your home computer for a hack, the college should offer to do it if they think that will help. Did you look up who their regulator is to see if it's OfS?

agreed 🌺

Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 25/03/2021 16:18

I’m late to this but Dropbox is known not to be particularly secure. At work we are not allowed under any circumstances to share files through it due to potential security issues.

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 16:59

surely they can't get access to information about me from either my employer or the cheating website without my consent due to GDPR?

The website already has my details without my consent so to then share it would be concerning

And contacting my employer is not on, especially as they aren't paying for my course and its in my own time. I only spoke to work IT for advice as I know someone there, they didn't check my actual computer (its a home computer).

OP posts:
Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 17:10

okay I've checked and it mentions Ofqual and CCEA I think it is but I'm not sure what they can do to help me?

OP posts:
MariposaLilly · 25/03/2021 18:10

I think your email account has been hacked.

I write frequently to a relative who has a gmail account. A few weeks ago I got a begging/scam email from their account. They signed off the same way she always does, "lots of love from Bobbie and Brian xxx". At first I thought she really sent it to me because the sign off line was the same. I asked some questions about her request for money which made the emails became aggressive their demands She's a generous & nice person and would never ask for let alone demand money from people, so I knew it wasn't her. Then they wrote "This is really Bobe". The scammer also sent me a lot of attachments which I didn't open.

The whole thing unnerved me because someone would have to have read her emails to me to have known to write, "lots of love from Bobbie and Brian xxx". Right?

Maybe you were hacked and the essays sold or just used by scammers for some reason - maybe to look legit. Maybe you are the victim of identity theft. Never open or download attachments from people you don't know and be careful installing new software. I hear it can contain bugs.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you.

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 18:14

another email from them

they seem to be backtracking a bit

Now saying its not me under investigation, they are merely investigating how the information got onto the cheating website. They say they recognise that they may "never" establish how.

So that's okay then Hmm Angry

OP posts:
justilou1 · 25/03/2021 18:42

I'm dubious - especially as they were quite happy to throw the blame at your work computer to begin with. I'd like to know why you haven't heard from your tutor at all. I think he's been making money on the side. It's a great side hustle for teachers & tutors.

PicsInRed · 25/03/2021 18:43

@flopsyandjim

another email from them

they seem to be backtracking a bit

Now saying its not me under investigation, they are merely investigating how the information got onto the cheating website. They say they recognise that they may "never" establish how.

So that's okay then Hmm Angry

OP, that sounds an awful lot like they've discovered a data breach in house.

I wouldn't let this go.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 25/03/2021 18:51

You know, when we all said to speak to work it wasn't to do with the course itself. If someone tried to affect your reputation it affects the wmployer too and so could probably help. Plus they might have some experience in this since they are in HE. They could provise you qith full it support and with them behind you the course provirer has no leverage at all.

And yeah. I agree with pp about data breach

SchrodingersImmigrant · 25/03/2021 18:52

Only if you eould trust them not to sink you though!

OysterMonkey · 25/03/2021 19:10

Keep pushing the subject access request Op.
I wouldn’t trust this lot to run a bath.
And they can fuck off with their request to involve your work. That’s insane. It has nothing to do with your employers.

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 19:57

not sure what I can do though

I could complain to Ofqual and the ICO perhaps

The course provider is listed as a charity, so maybe there's a charity regular or what that I can go to as well.

I'm starting to think I will get my qualification now and they will think that's the end of it / enough to shut me up.

Really pissed off. Assignment results don't come through for another 6 weeks though so who knows.

OP posts:
Piglet89 · 25/03/2021 20:18

CCEA. Are you Northern Irish OP? Isn’t that the NI school examinations board?

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 21:02

no I'm not, so if they are NI then I guess its ofqual I'd go to

OP posts:
MRex · 25/03/2021 21:03

Can you Google for the complaints procedure for the college? That should specify what you need to do to escalate this further.

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 21:26

yes I've googled it, it seems similar to what you would expect really and I have followed it so far.

I also drew their attention to other policies of theirs and specific lines in these policies where I felt have not been followed.

OP posts:
MRex · 25/03/2021 21:31

That's good. Does it say who to escalate to? It should name the correct regulator. If not then CCEA should be able to let you know if you give them a call to ask for help.

I do still think your university would help you, you're being badly treated by the college.

Original poster
flopsyandjim · 25/03/2021 22:10

it mentions a generic email address for submitting complaints but does mention Ofqual, CCEA and a wales one I forget.

OP posts:
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/03/2021 23:06

They've hacked your email address probably. It's a huge problem. Especially with these cheating scam sites. Google all the information on that and put together a letter for your teacher. Explain carefully and in detail how you had this happen to you. You will probably be able to work out which application was hacked. Clean your computer and change your email address passwords and everything else you uploaded it to. The reason the site will not remove the content is because they're complicit in the scam. Good luck OP. Terrifying.

Nith · 25/03/2021 23:30

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.

Why do they assume your employer even has an IT department, let alone that your employer would want their staff spending time on something that has nothing to do with your employment?

Also I think they're talking rubbish about copyright. Your essays are your work unless you copied directly from the college's teaching materials, and even then it rather depends what you're copying - if you were quoting from books you were studying, for instance, it would still not be the college's copyright. Assuming the college is teaching a standard syllabus, there won't be anything unique about what they're teaching because, guess what, all other A level students following the same syllabus will be being taught the same. I suspect they're making that up to try to cover their backs.