Published
Yes.
If they actually are test questions, they are illegal because the items belong to Excelsior College and the seller (or whoever gave them to the seller) is violating their contract with the College and it violates the copyright Excelsior holds.
If they aren't actually test questions, these are illegal because they are fraud.
Either way, it's the work of scum.
Here is the "form" to use to report to ebay.
If you find items that are described as actual questions from exams, or that sort of thing, that you take a few moments to let the college know ([email protected] will work) and complain to ebay?
[email protected] did not work. I got the Delivery Failure notice. :stone
OK, I agree this is slimey. But I looked at what he wrote, and he says he's offering study guides, which, in his experience, most questions on the exams come from. Sounds like a teacher's question bank, which is usually available from the publisher of a textbook. One of my profs used a question bank that came from the publisher this semester, so I know these things exist. It saves the teacher from writing his/her own exam questions.
I agree this is illegal--this is probably copyrighted information. But it doesn't sound like he's offering actual exams.
chris_at_lucas_RN, RN
1,895 Posts
I got an email from a fellow alum with the URL in it for ebay items described as the actual items from tests for our college exams.
I reported it to the college, as had she. Then I reported it to ebay. And then I sent a "question to the seller" and had some fun with that (see below).
But one or two voices aren't nearly enough.
May I suggest that, in support of professionalism and honesty, whether you are an Excelsior student or alum, or just care about the quality of nursing education in general, if you have some free time, go to ebay and search on "Excelsior College" or "NC" (the abbreviation for our exams). If you find items that are described as actual questions from exams, or that sort of thing, that you take a few moments to let the college know ([email protected] will work) and complain to ebay? I referred to the items as "stolen property" because they belong to Excelsior College. Period.
I also had a great deal of fun sending a "question to the seller" wherein I described just what I thought of someone who cheats like that, what I thought really ought to happen to him, and that I had reported it to both the college and to ebay. The dope had even listed some little town in Louisiana on his ebay site.
I did get an answer. Another one who apparently thinks I am male. (What a hoot.) Threatened me! Ha! Bring it on, Dufus, bring in on......
So, who'll join me? Who will take a few minutes, search ebay, find these losers and report them to ebay and the school? It's really very satisfying. Sort of like "riding the range" and "roping up the bad guys," cyberstyle.