BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has warned the public to be alert to the sale of fake college entrance exam papers through the Internet and mobile phones after a string of fraud cases were cracked.

    In a joint announcement, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Security said that questions and answers for this year's college entrance exams, which fall on June 7th and 8th this year, are national secrets before they are authorized to issued. They are now under the strict control of relevant government departments.

    Examinees and their parents should keep alert to avoid being cheated of their money, according to the announcement.

    Stealing, divulging and selling college entrance exam questions and answers, selling false college entrance exam papers and disturbing the exams in any way will all be severely punished, the announcement said.

    Police in east China's Fujian Province on May 31 arrested three people responsible for selling fake papers online and confiscated their bank deposit books, credit cards and computers.

    According to their confessions, they have been spreading false information via the Internet since April, saying that they have this year's college entrance exam papers. They pretended to be officials of education departments receiving calls and selling exam papers at 1,000 yuan a subject.

    Policemen in east China's Shandong Province also arrested a criminal suspect who spread false information via the Internet saying that he could send college entrance exam answers just 45 minutes after the exam started. The case is under further investigation.

    Sources from the Ministry of Education said all the people who participated in designing the college entrance exam questions have signed a written pledge, vowing never to divulge what they knew. Breaking the contract can lead to three to seven years imprisonment.

    Ministry of Public Security said policemen will be deployed at the neighboring areas of the exam spots to avoid organized gangs making cheating by using high-tech means and deploying accomplices both inside and outside the exam spots.

    Statistics from the Ministry of Education showed that 9.5 million people have registered to attend this year's national college entrance exam, while China's higher learning institutions are planning to recruit 5.3 million students.

    The Ministry of Education has also ordered local education departments to enhance electronic monitoring this year by installing handset detection instruments and monitoring devices in exam halls.

    Police departments last year uncovered nearly 30 cases involving more than 30 suspects who were caught using hidden telecommunication equipment to cheat on the exams or illegally selling exam contents. Enditem