How Scammers Are Exploiting Telegram to Leak KCSE Exams and Scam Millions
As the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams unfold, a growing number of candidates, teachers, and parents are falling victim to scammers exploiting social media, particularly Telegram, to profit by falsely promising exam access.
A recent investigative report by NTV has exposed these fraudsters’ tactics, showing how they use Telegram to attract unprepared candidates and anxious parents and teachers looking to secure an advantage.
These scammers claim to offer early access to KCSE exam papers, asking for payments that vary based on the number of papers provided.
What’s especially alarming is how quickly these scammers acquire and share exam content, capturing images of exam papers immediately after they’re opened or even mid-exam, then using these photos to entice more subscribers.
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Currently, the “Official KCSE Leakages 2024” Telegram page has gained over 72,000 subscribers in just five days. The fraudsters have set up a pricing system, charging Ksh3,500 for a single paper and up to Ksh12,000 for a “VIP” package, which supposedly grants access to all exam papers until the end of the exam period.
NTV’s investigation revealed the scammers’ methods: once payments are made, they frequently disappear without delivering any papers.
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NTV reporters who attempted to purchase a Kiswahili paper received an automated message directing them through a “verification” process, which led to delays and ultimately yielded no results.
A message from the bot stated: “I am not sure how to respond to that. This is an automated KCSE LEAKAGE BOT. Every resource is available here. Follow the procedure to access the KCSE leakages and other services, and contact admin for more. Please use the menu buttons /start to access our services.”
Scammers also use Telegram to post images of exam papers as soon as the exams begin, leading unsuspecting Kenyans to believe they have advance access to the exams. This practice raises serious questions about the involvement of examination officials, as some appear to access phones in testing centers, enabling these leaks.
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This revelation has emerged despite recent promises from the Ministry of Education to prevent exam leaks.
On Friday, Education PS Dr. Belio Kipsang reported 11 cases of examiners caught attempting to bring mobile phones or gadgets into exam centers, underscoring the ongoing struggle to secure the integrity of the KCSE exams.
