Poll: Have you ever been a victim of professional identity theft/fraud? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever been a victim of professional identity theft/fraud?".
This poll was originally submitted by Charlotte Moore. View the poll results »
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:55
Spanish to English
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Not as far as I know, but nowadays you can never be sure. At least one other person has the same pseudonym as me (an anagram of my name) on at least one online site, but it might be just coincidence.
[Edited at 2016-01-18 09:04 GMT]
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As far as I know, I haven't been a victim yet, but the risk is there even if I have taken some precautions.
When I spot a fake CV (I have received a few over the years) I always contact the victim (Proz members) to inform him/her.
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No, but since I've started as a freelancer in September 2015, I still want to broaden my costumer network and to do so I have to be more visible, which means somebody could easily steal my CV. As soon I'm happy with my number of clients, I will not show my CV and personal information for no reason.
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I don't know, but I saw my name on a list on the Internet of people who has gotten their CVs stolen. Who put me there and why I do not know.
On the same list - but as one of the offenders - I saw the name of one of my good friends and colleagues in Finland who I know for sure would never steal anybody's CV and also does not have any reason to.
So I don't know what to think. But I removed my CV from my profile on Proz.com and one other portal.
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Enrico Zoffoli 
Italy
Local time: 23:55
Member (2013)
German to Italian
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This guy under the name of Alberto Verdone copied my CV from my Proz profile, replaced my name with his and forwarded the CV to a number of agencies. An American agency that received this bogus CV was kind enough to notify me about this identity theft (they googled the book translations that Verdone claimed to have made and noticed that they were in fact authored by Enrico Zoffoli). The fun part is that I actually got a new client thanks to Verdone. One day I received a phone call from a PM of a... See more This guy under the name of Alberto Verdone copied my CV from my Proz profile, replaced my name with his and forwarded the CV to a number of agencies. An American agency that received this bogus CV was kind enough to notify me about this identity theft (they googled the book translations that Verdone claimed to have made and noticed that they were in fact authored by Enrico Zoffoli). The fun part is that I actually got a new client thanks to Verdone. One day I received a phone call from a PM of a German agency, to which I had never applied, who said something like: “Mr Verdone, we will be happy to consider your application provided you send us a letter of reference” (yes, Verdone put his own email address but did not change the telephone number). I immediately recalled the identity theft mentioned by the American agency and explained the issue to the PM, who was quite amused. Eventually I did provide them with a letter of recommendation, since the agency looked actually good. Occasionally I still work for them.
[Edited at 2016-01-18 13:47 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-01-18 13:50 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Anne Schulz
Germany
Local time: 23:55
English to German
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For a while my identity was stolen by a Canadian actress with a warped sense of humour
Luckily an upstanding member of the community informed the Prolice who soon put an end to it
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DianeGM
Local time: 00:55
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
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| Yes ... once ... as far as I know | Jan 18, 2016 |
I found out as I was contacted by an agency who informed me they had received an application from someone using my name and CV and an email address with just one letter difference from my actual email address. I reported it everywhere I could think of and never heard anything else about it.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 18:55
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Exactly, Neilmac | Jan 18, 2016 |
neilmac wrote:
Not as far as I know, but nowadays you can never be sure. At least one other person has the same pseudonym as me (an anagram of my name) on at least one online site, but it might be just coincidence.
[Edited at 2016-01-18 09:04 GMT]
It's hard to be sure. But I can tell you I never suffered any consequences so far.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 17:55
English to Spanish
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| Victim of identity theft/fraud | Jan 18, 2016 |
Sure, it happened to me twice. I don't know if the criminals were professionals or not, however. What's up with the question?
The first time happened in 2000. Someone grabbed my SS# and started opening store accounts in different cities in the U.S. I know this gang was no bunch of professional thieves because they all opened the bogus accounts on the same day. I was alerted of the fact a couple of months later when I received a call from a collection agency. I immediately cal... See more Sure, it happened to me twice. I don't know if the criminals were professionals or not, however. What's up with the question?
The first time happened in 2000. Someone grabbed my SS# and started opening store accounts in different cities in the U.S. I know this gang was no bunch of professional thieves because they all opened the bogus accounts on the same day. I was alerted of the fact a couple of months later when I received a call from a collection agency. I immediately called the local police (a bunch of incompetent individuals) and each of the stores where the bogus accounts were opened.
Why were the local police incompetent? On one hand, the stores (like J.C. Penny and Home Depot, in America) already have a fraud department in charge of investigating and resolving bogus accounts. On the other hand, the local Indianapolis police were not so well prepared and insisted (quite stupidly) that I open a case in the different cities the bogus accounts were opened. I didn't call them incompetent in their faces but I made it quite clear at the time.
The second time was in 2006, at a GameStop store in California, where I purchased a videogame device for a friend's son. The store clerk apparently copied my credit card number and used it. I took care of that problem but I didn't involve the police: I simply cancelled the card and notified my bank, who invalidated the bogus charges.
The question for this poll would have been more useful if one of the options would have involved what a victim did to protect herself. Otherwise, it's watercooler conversation. ▲ Collapse
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Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 23:55
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
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SITE LOCALIZER | one CV landed here | Jan 19, 2016 |
Yetta J Bogarde wrote:
I don't know, but I saw my name on a list on the Internet of people who has gotten their CVs stolen. Who put me there and why I do not know.
On the same list - but as one of the offenders - I saw the name of one of my good friends and colleagues in Finland who I know for sure would never steal anybody's CV and also does not have any reason to.
So I don't know what to think. But I removed my CV from my profile on Proz.com and one other portal.
I was the one who received your CV (but it was, if I remember, more than a year, maybe 1,5 years ago) but when I checked the facts I revealed your real name and found you on the ProZ.com. Usually I receive fake CVs minimum once a month. Follow the Twitter account - they collect and publish them.
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