Do you also receive e-mails promoting a translator's service?
Thread poster: Bora Taşdemir
Bora Taşdemir
Bora Taşdemir  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:04
Member (2012)
English to Turkish
+ ...
Nov 27, 2013

Hi,

I just wandered if am I the only one who is receiving other translators' marketing e-mails (I am a translator too). What I am actually wandering is; where did they find my e-mail (and I guess there is a dozen of e-mail addresses on the list) address? Do you have any idea?

Thanks,

Bora


 
Pascale Pluton
Pascale Pluton  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 00:04
Member (2005)
English to French
+ ...
Loads of them too Nov 27, 2013

I receive plenty of them too in all sorts of language combinations.

This is getting annoying because I have as little use to them as to, let's say, a penis enlargement product

I suppose those people, if they are real, must have bought a mailing list containing your address. Yes, we are living in a wonderful word aren't we, where thirds parties make money with your address.....

The problem is
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I receive plenty of them too in all sorts of language combinations.

This is getting annoying because I have as little use to them as to, let's say, a penis enlargement product

I suppose those people, if they are real, must have bought a mailing list containing your address. Yes, we are living in a wonderful word aren't we, where thirds parties make money with your address.....

The problem is that it is difficult to find you how it all started and with your address circulating around, there is no way to stop it, but a drastic change of e-mail address.

I guess we just have to put up with this spam…


[Edited at 2013-11-27 08:06 GMT]
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Bora Taşdemir
Bora Taşdemir  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:04
Member (2012)
English to Turkish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Translator-Bee? Nov 27, 2013

I guess I remember somehow when this e-mail flood started though: once there was a site like a translator-bee or something like that.

It was a spam and promoting a translator-based site, also you could see all e-mail addresses on the list (they were not disguised). Then, some smart-individuals started to use them to promote their services, but it didn't stop. This issue may be related to this, but also they could buy a list of translator e-mail addresses.

I just won
... See more
I guess I remember somehow when this e-mail flood started though: once there was a site like a translator-bee or something like that.

It was a spam and promoting a translator-based site, also you could see all e-mail addresses on the list (they were not disguised). Then, some smart-individuals started to use them to promote their services, but it didn't stop. This issue may be related to this, but also they could buy a list of translator e-mail addresses.

I just wonder if they could ever succeed in this way? (I guess not!)
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Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 00:04
English to Polish
+ ...
... Nov 27, 2013

Sometimes they just think you might have jobs to outsource, or your image may suggest a boutique agency rather than a solo professional, especially if you use a company name that doesn't contain your own.

 
Theo Bernards (X)
Theo Bernards (X)  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 00:04
English to Dutch
+ ...
You are not the only one Nov 27, 2013

Bora Tasdemir wrote:

I just wandered if am I the only one who is receiving other translators' marketing e-mails (I am a translator too)...

Bora


And while I don't wonder nor wander, I have given up on sending polite "please bugger off" responses, as they invariably lead to either more of such spam emails or unpleasant distribution list holders, who feel they are perfectly entitled to send me such emails twice a week. Most email services offer a "report as spam" button, and I have become quite adept at using that button. Perhaps not the most elegant solution, but certainly most efficient (time-wise).

There is a translation portal that more or less allows you to harvest email addresses (or offers to sell them), and unregistering there did me a lot of good in terms of reducing the spam from alleged translators who offer their services in a thousand and one language combinations. I am not allowed to name names here, but I remember that that particular portal ends with ...rectory.com. Perhaps unregistering there might alleviate the situation?


 
nrichy (X)
nrichy (X)
France
Local time: 00:04
French to Dutch
+ ...
I get them too Nov 27, 2013

Most of them come from regular translators' associations, which have directories which can be consulted on the net. Most of them think that I can help starters, or that I am farming out my translations. Or send clients to them... direct ones, of course.

And I get also lots of connection requests on social websites from unknown people. It's a bit annoying, as they are colleagues after all. I never know what to do.


 
Recep Kurt
Recep Kurt  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 02:04
Member (2011)
English to Turkish
+ ...
It is publicly available Nov 27, 2013

Hi Bora,

A quick search revealed your e-mail address. When you run your address through Google, it shows that it is publicly available at three sites, one being ProZ:

http://goo.gl/gfG3nN


 
Bora Taşdemir
Bora Taşdemir  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:04
Member (2012)
English to Turkish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I have learned my lesson Nov 27, 2013

Hi Recep,

Thank you very much, also one other guy informed me about this issue on a private e-mail and told me what to do. I have learned my lesson so far and I can explain what to do on request.

Thanks all,

Bora


 


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