Fake certificates for English tests sold online

Fake certificates for College English Tests 4 and 6 can be bought from online shops with customized scores as required by their buyers, but a lawyer warns their users may lose their jobs if employers discover the truth.

The results of CET 4 and 6, the standard English proficiency examination in China, were released on Friday. Obtaining a CET 4 certificate is a must for many graduates to get a job, but, for many, passing the exam is a nightmare.

Many online shops at taobao.com, a major online shopping service provider, sold fake certificates soon after the results were released, claiming they could print preferred scores according to the buyers' requirements. The prices for such certificates vary from 1 yuan ($0.16) to 3,680 yuan.

One seller said the buyer's name, admission ticket number and picture are needed to make a tailored certificate, promising that the fakes are safe as employers do not check on them, according to a report in Beijing Morning Post on Monday.

Customer service for taobao said it has not received any complaints about such services, but will verify the reporter's claim and penalize the sellers if the information is confirmed, the report said.

Based on relative laws, employers can fire employees hired because of fake certificates and both buyers and sellers may face further punishment, the newspaper quoted a lawyer as saying.