Can I buy an IELTS certificate?
The simple answer is NO! Anyone claiming to sell you an IELTS certificate is trying to scam you. While purchasing an IELTS certificate without sitting the test may sound like an easy option, anyone buying scams is wasting their money and risking their future opportunities. If you do you could get banned from IELTS.
Where and how these scammers operate
Scammers operate in many different ways. It's important to lookout for the warning signs. For example, you may come across an ad on Google or social media with a catchy headline such as "Buy IELTS without giving exam". It may sound enticing but rest assured it's nothing but a scam.
You might see offers like these on:
Google
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
LinkedIn
Reddit
Quora
Other websites and blogs.
Never fall for the trap!
Report any suspicious activity to security.ielts@idp.com.
Look out for yourself, and your future
Scammers who promise false IELTS certificates will take your money and disappear without delivering on promises. Your fake or false certificate may look or seem real, but IELTS has systems in place to check if your results are authentic.
If you use a fake IELTS certificate, your results will be rejected and you might be reported to authorities – jeopardising your lifelong goals.
Beware of Email scams
According to the Australian Cybersecurity website:
"Phishing is a method of stealing confidential information by sending fraudulent messages to a victim."
Cybercriminals send phishing messages that trick people into sending their personal information, or even scam them into paying for false goods and services that never arrive. These scams often work by the cybercriminals posing as a legitimate business or reputable organisation.
Some advice:
Be alert and check what email address it's being sent from. Reputable organisations typically do not use free webmail addresses (i.e. example@gmail.com, example@yahoo.com, example@hotmail.com, or the like).
If you are doubtful whether an email was legitimately sent by the IELTS team, contact your test centre to verify. However, make sure to rely on the contact details provided in our website, not the ones provided in the suspicious email/message.
Below are some examples of phishing scam emails that our team has spotted:
In scenarios such as the examples above, cybercriminals may ask you to book and finalise your payment through responding to their fraudulent email or phone number.
Always be alert and report any scams to security.ielts@idp.com.
Read more about email scams: Cyber.gov.au and Scamwatch.gov.au
Education institutions and employers can help stamp out scams
The IELTS partners vigorously pursue allegations of scam activity to protect the integrity of the IELTS test and the interests of genuine test takers.
The IELTS Results Service allows all 12,500 organisations that accept IELTS scores to quickly and securely verify whether any Test Report Form (TRF) received from applicants is genuine.
We strongly encourage every organisation that accepts IELTS certificates to verify each IELTS TRF.
How to report scammers
We encourage anyone being approached to buy IELTS results or TRFs to immediately report this activity to IELTS.
Keep your future safe and report any scams to security.ielts@idp.com.
Official links to book, prepare, and access results
Be careful with other websites or apps. If you need to book, prepare, or access your results, it's easy to do so from this website, or by downloading our official IELTS by IDP app.
IELTS Preparation
Access official IELTS preparation tools, such as our official practice or mock tests, IELTS Preparation Guide, IELTS Masterclass, and many more ways to get ready for your test.
Book your IELTS test
Find a test centre near you and book your IELTS test.
Read this article to learn how to book your test.
IELTS Results
Access your official IELTS results, learn what a TRF (Test Results Form) is, and understand how your band scores are calculated.
Need help or assistance? Contact us.
Beware of IELTS scams: FAQ