A British woman was arrested after allegedly using an “array of wigs” to pose as at least 14 people and take their UK citizenship tests for them, officials said.
The unnamed 61-year-old allegedly donned wigs and “multiple disguises” while taking the citizenship test across multiple testing centers in the UK. To further evade suspicions, she also allegedly doctored identification documents, the Home Office, which is responsible for immigration, wrote on social media.
She helped men and women “gain an unfair advantage in their applications to remain in the UK,” the agency said.
During her arrest, Immigration Enforcement officers seized several false documents and an “array of wigs” they believed she used in the scheme, according to the post.
The woman, who took the tests for other people between June 2022 and August 2023, was arrested in Enfield, north London, on Monday, according to Sky News.
“This individual is believed to have orchestrated a pre-meditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test center locations across the country to evade the authorities,” Phillip Parr, an immigration enforcement and financial investigation inspector, told the outlet.
“As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain,” he said.
On social media, the Home Office slammed the “fraudulent activity” for undermining the “integrity of the immigration process” as it could allow people to wrongfully remain in the UK.
An investigation into the matter is ongoing, the Home Office said.
