| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Enormous increase in translator applications from translators with a hotmail address Thread poster: XX789 (X)
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langnet 
Italy
Local time: 20:02
Italian to German
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| Scam report ("never worked for this guy") | Jun 18, 2012 |
Enrique,
personally, I don't grasp the connection between this "Greg Lordan" - brought in by skopko who actually worked for this person and didn't get paid - an these scam mails that have been received by me and others.
There was no "Greg Lordan" in it. The addressee was "undisclosed-recipient" with my personal e-mail address as "BCC".
Subject line: "translation job", followed by e-mail texts very different in wording and font style ("ably conceived" one could say, very "individual", non standard), with CVs attached.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:02
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Loek van Kooten wrote:
I smell fish when I see it.
And I smell a rat.
| | | | langnet
Italy
Local time: 20:02
Italian to German
+ ...
| what's wrong... | Jun 18, 2012 |
Inga Petkelyte wrote:
I've been so happy and relaxed with my Hotmail account for years now that I even didn't suspect the existance of a possibility to use an email of my internet provider. Honestly, I haven't seen yet anyone with @zon.pt nor I've ever heared about email accounts in the service package but I guess, it's better to check before telling anything for sure. One lives and learns, as they say in my coountry.
The biggest lier and scammer that I've met, though, Miguel Rodrigues from Vigo, Spain, had a "real" email, actually two registered companies of him, but after multiple lies never paid and continued shopping around for the remaining parts of the project.
...with @zone.pt? This gives a much more serious impression than @hotmail.com etc. And I cannot believe that Internet providers in Portugal don't include at least one e-mail account in their packages. This is standard throughout EU!
As for the registered companies that didn't pay you: very annoying, but at least you have the data and could seek legal action. Of course, you won't do this as it would be too expensive and time consuming (and these types of agencies know that and count on it), but at least you could. With someone who had only a freemail address you would never have this option.
As for the rest, Tony put it all perfectly in a nutshell.
| | | | XX789 (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 20:02
English to Dutch
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TOPIC STARTER
LOL Tom, thanks. I need more coffee.
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Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 20:02
English to German
| Free = low level, but ... | Jun 19, 2012 |
Tony M wrote:
anyone writing to me from one of these free services immediately goes down in my estimaton as "not serious"
I'd not say "not serious", I say "not professional".
Group 1: Youngsters (e. g. former students) who haven't noticed that they are acting in an entrepreneur environment now.
Group 2: Internet-illiterates who do not know anything about mail addresses and such stuff. These people have a service technician (or their neighbour's son) set up "the" Internet.
BUT: In some countries a world-wide operating freemailer might be the best (= most reliable) solution.
| | | | Inga Petkelyte
Portugal
Local time: 19:02
Lithuanian to Portuguese
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| A bit sad to hear from Rolf | Jun 19, 2012 |
Langnet: I did check with my ISP and have now an account at @zonmail.pt, thank you for the tip!
Yet:
1) does @zonmail... sound far much better than @hotmail. ..?
2) the platform for both email accounts is the same, hence the security levels also;
3) when I open my @zonmail.pt account what do I see? In the menu bar, the same line: the ZONmail logo, Windows Live, Hotmail, Messenger, SkyDrive, MSN ... LOL!
4) if it exactly the same as Hotmail and even worse on the poin... See more Langnet: I did check with my ISP and have now an account at @zonmail.pt, thank you for the tip!
Yet:
1) does @zonmail... sound far much better than @hotmail. ..?
2) the platform for both email accounts is the same, hence the security levels also;
3) when I open my @zonmail.pt account what do I see? In the menu bar, the same line: the ZONmail logo, Windows Live, Hotmail, Messenger, SkyDrive, MSN ... LOL!
4) if it exactly the same as Hotmail and even worse on the point that this account is over in case I chnage my ISP, what's the use of such non-Hotmail account?
5) does @zonmail.pt at least sound more professional?
Rolf: not everyone has got a diploma in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information technology (sic!). Does diploma and studiies in other fields make its holders "youngsters" or "internet-illiterates" ? Gone not too far with such comments? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Alison Sparks (X)
Local time: 20:02
French to English
+ ...
Don't knock gmail just because it's free, please. Some of us aren't either 'techno' aware, or rich enough to own a domain. Besides imho gmail has a very good antispam filter and all sorts of other options for keeping emails under control.
Hotmail, on the other hand, used to have serious limitations vis à vis the size of attached files which could be received and so on, but never having used it I can't say if it works or not.
I have worked with a company which had its... See more Don't knock gmail just because it's free, please. Some of us aren't either 'techno' aware, or rich enough to own a domain. Besides imho gmail has a very good antispam filter and all sorts of other options for keeping emails under control.
Hotmail, on the other hand, used to have serious limitations vis à vis the size of attached files which could be received and so on, but never having used it I can't say if it works or not.
I have worked with a company which had its own domain name, and spam and other rubbish arrived far more frequently than with gmail, despite the price of hosting, management, promised filters etc.
Do you judge a book by its cover? So without seeing what we can do why judge by an email address?  ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tony M
France
Local time: 20:02
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Alison Sparks wrote: Do you judge a book by its cover? So without seeing what we can do why judge by an email address?
I'm afraid I and an awful lot of other people DO, yes!
Let's face it, if I know that addresses ending in [email protected] or gmail etc. often contain spam, viruses, scams etc., then my first instinct is going to be to bin them!
You can't stand out single-handedly against this sort of prejudice, especially as it is based on real, bad experiences. the age-old expression "Once bitten twice shy" immediately springs to mind.
I don't know what all this question is of "having your own domain name" — there's no need to go as far as having your own domain name, just use the e-mail address(es) that already come free of charge with your ISP Internet access package.
It's just that anyone using one of the (many) free and anonymous e-mail systems 1) looks like they have something to hide, and 2) looks like some kind of private individual punter with names like [email protected] — it's like turning up to a job interview in your dressing-gown and fluffy slippers!
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| Stolen Identity Scam | Jul 4, 2012 |
Hi there,
Greg Lordan is a different issue altogether. He is masquerading as a customer. I think the first few posters were referring to the massive onslaught of emails many of us have been receiving since June from supposed translators with either stolen or fake CVs. The perpetrator (who seems to be from the Middle East) seems to be collecting CVs from places like Proz.com and TranslationDirectory and sending them out to potential customers in the hopes of getting some freelance w... See more Hi there,
Greg Lordan is a different issue altogether. He is masquerading as a customer. I think the first few posters were referring to the massive onslaught of emails many of us have been receiving since June from supposed translators with either stolen or fake CVs. The perpetrator (who seems to be from the Middle East) seems to be collecting CVs from places like Proz.com and TranslationDirectory and sending them out to potential customers in the hopes of getting some freelance work. The real issue here is that they use the identities of ACTUAL translators here on this site and steal part or all of their CV to make it look like they are that person. They change the email address slightly, e.g. instead of [email protected] they write [email protected] or [email protected], always on behalf of some other address and to undisclosed recipients, so it is difficult to determine whether you are dealing with the real person or not. The real clue is when there is no address or phone number. I suppose they then either create a machine translation or have some non-native speaker do it (probably without paying them). They have tools like SDL Trados Studio but the quality of the work is just as inferior as the grammar and spelling in their emails. The trouble is, they could target any of us without us even really knowing that our CV and information was being used to scam others. A cursory check on Google would lead potential customers to believe that the actual translator had sent the mail, not some dubious organization in the Middle East. So make sure your information remains protected and send all of these chain spam mails straight to the bin.
I reported the incident to Proz.com and they said they were aware of the issue and had taken action (whatever that means). TranslationDirectory never sent me a response, which isn't surprising.
In general, we would all do well to strive to be a bit more professional (i.e. obtain our own domains, stop spamming prospects, polish up our image, have someone proofread what we write before we send it, etc.) so that it is easier to detect a scam from an actual person. I can't tell you how many emails I receive from legitimate translators with funky Hotmail addresses and oddly worded texts, despite claiming to be "native speakers".
Best,
Julie ▲ Collapse
| | | | VdeMoor (X)
Local time: 20:02
French to Dutch
+ ...
hi colleagues,
I am one of these lucky translators who gets daily 5 - 6 collaboration offers by mail. Often these mails end in @hotmail.com and contain a CV in .doc-format.
This has been going on for months and I never realized that it might be SPAM. Anyone in the same case and what do you do about it?
kind regards from Belgium,
Frédérid
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Hello Frédérid,
I guess there is no way to really eliminate the problem. I suppose a multi-pronged strategy might help minimize it, though:
To stop spam:
1.) Create a different address for posting on the web, i.e. [email protected].
2.) Have emails addressed to undisclosed recpients or to your "info" address or any other addresses you may have "out there" automatically go into a special folder in Outlook ... See more Hello Frédérid,
I guess there is no way to really eliminate the problem. I suppose a multi-pronged strategy might help minimize it, though:
To stop spam:
1.) Create a different address for posting on the web, i.e. [email protected].
2.) Have emails addressed to undisclosed recpients or to your "info" address or any other addresses you may have "out there" automatically go into a special folder in Outlook by creating a rule for them. Then you don't have to deal with them while you are working, but you can still check the folder from time to time to see if something that isn't spam landed in there accidentally.
3.) Delete suspicious-looking emails or emails from translators offering services you don't need instead of opening them and saving them. Don't even waste a second of your time dealing with them.
4.) Delete and old, washed up email addresses you have "out there" that are only generating spam and not legitimate customers.
5.) Never give out your "official" email address (e.g. [email protected]) to anyone except customers and validated partners.
To protect yourself:
1.) Don't publish your CV online. Then no one can steal it. For example on Proz.com you can have it set to "Available on request". I think many translators are so keen on attracting new business, they publish any information anywhere just to get noticed. But later on, when you have a good base of customers, this strategy will just wind up annoying you because it is hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Treat your personal information as your intellectual property. It has value and is unique to you. Never forget that.
2.) Be wary of posting too much information on sites like Translator's Café and Translation Directory. They don't seem to be as interested in safeguarding privacy as Proz or the ATA, IOL or BDÜ, for example.
3.) Check the scam alert center regularly for updates.
4.) Warn other colleagues so they can protect themselves.
Anyone who is interested should feel free to add to this list. I am sure there are many other good ideas out there.
Best,
Julie ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:02
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Not alone or obsolete | Jul 18, 2012 |
Inga Petkelyte wrote:
Maybe I am missing something here, but pointing out at Hotmail or other generic accounts always puts me a bit uncomfortable.
I don't remember last time when I offered my services, last autumn perhaps. I've been a freelance translator for more than twenty years already and my email is a Hotmail account for the past twelve years. Those that care about email accounts, dismiss my offers, those about complicated translations delivered in (and often before) time find me year after year.
Surely, where a clear pattern is obvious of the same sender (group of senders) for nobody-knows-what purpose the it's a different story. But once the question of Hotmail accounts is raised, I wonder whether other translators have their own sites just to provide a non-Hotmail account? Am I alone so obsolete?
I have a couple of Hotmail accounts, which were the first I ever opened, although I never use them for anything serious nowadays. I do however use Yahoo free accounts and rarely have problems, although some clients' security setups rejected my emails until I told them about it. One of my accounts recently got spammed and is sending occasional junk mails to my contacts, but most people can spot them and if the email doesn't have a recognisable subject line from me, they just bin it.
It's no big deal.
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I used to get maybe one or two collaboration offers every week, by translators actually looking for more work, but over the last month or so I've been swamped by offers - up to 10 or more per day - many of them saying they're "interested in my proposal". It's been months since I posted a job, there's absolutely no proposal unless I sleepwalk and post imaginary jobs at night!
Many of them have the same title structure, like "Experienced FR EN translator". So far I've deleted all of ... See more I used to get maybe one or two collaboration offers every week, by translators actually looking for more work, but over the last month or so I've been swamped by offers - up to 10 or more per day - many of them saying they're "interested in my proposal". It's been months since I posted a job, there's absolutely no proposal unless I sleepwalk and post imaginary jobs at night!
Many of them have the same title structure, like "Experienced FR EN translator". So far I've deleted all of them (sorry for the legit ones!), as I am not yet a multinational corporation with hundreds of jobs, unless I'm doing wonders selling my services during those sleepwalking nights. I should check my sleepbanking account to see if it's actually true
It might be a site selling mass mailing services (with contact info pulled from proz), it might be a scam...I don't know. I will reply to one to try and find out. I hope it's a scam and not a service gullible people paid for...ah that's also called a scam. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | | wonita (X)
China
Local time: 14:02
VdeMoor wrote:
hi colleagues,
I am one of these lucky translators who gets daily 5 - 6 collaboration offers by mail. Often these mails end in @hotmail.com and contain a CV in .doc-format.
This has been going on for months and I never realized that it might be SPAM. Anyone in the same case and what do you do about it?
kind regards from Belgium,
Frédérid
All applications are in the same writing style, I doubt if they are from the same person. Though CVs are attached as well, I never bother to open one.
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