BEIJING: From fake messages, phishing links to fraudulent offers - authorities in China are sounding the alarm over scams preying on students and parents as they anxiously await the results of the fiercely contested national college entrance examination.

The exam, known as gaokao in Chinese, concluded on Tuesday (Jun 10) after four days. More than 13.3 million students took it this year, and results are set to be released around the end of the month.

The gaokao is widely regarded as a gatekeeper of opportunity - doing well paves the way to academic and career success, while poor results significantly narrow one’s prospects. As anticipation grows, authorities warn that scammers are trying to exploit the situation.

According to education officials and the police, many students across the country have received text messages claiming artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring systems caught them cheating, resulting in them scoring zero on the gaokao.

Nearly identical, the messages all claim to be from the education bureaus or exam venues where the students sat for the papers.

Students are requested to call the number provided in the message for clarification. In some cases, the scammer demands a fee or deposit to help "delete" footage of the alleged cheating.

Authorities across different provinces, such as Sichuan, Jilin, Zhejiang, Tianjin and Hainan have released notices on messaging platform WeChat warning students and their parents of the scams, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. 

In a notice posted on Monday night, the Criminal Investigation Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security said cheating violations will be reviewed manually, and ind...