ProZ.com Translation Forums

my gmail allert | Yes: two-step login is now available

Fawad Aslam Awan — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:09:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Fawad Aslam Awan
Post title: Yes: two-step login is now available

[quote]Eva Stoppa wrote:

But does Proz.com offer a 2FA, yet? Would be interesting to know. [/quote]

To answer the question above: yes. Two-step login is available at [url removed] #two-step. With it on, logging in needs your password and a 6-digit code emailed to you. Every account also now gets an email when it is signed in from a browser or device we haven't seen before.

ProZ.com Support Team

my gmail allert | Does Proz offer this option, yet?

Eva Stoppa — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:59:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Eva Stoppa
Post title: Does Proz offer this option, yet?

"setting up 2FA for the email address you connect to your most important accounts."

But does Proz.com offer a 2FA, yet? Would be interesting to know.

my gmail allert | How password alerts work:

Andrea Capuselli — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:44:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Andrea Capuselli
Post title: How password alerts work:

Hi Gregor,

The Google alert doesn't necessarily mean that your ProZ.com password was leaked from ProZ.com.

Google and other password managers can flag a password based on the password itself. For example, if the same password has been exposed in a breach involving another service, or if it is a commonly used password, it may trigger a warning regardless of which site you've saved it for.

If you'd like to check whether the password has appeared in any known data breaches, you can use the password checker at Have I Been Pwned. For security reasons, please don't share the password with us or post it publicly.

As of now, ProZ.com is not aware of any data breach that could have exposed or leaked our users' passwords.

Changing the password is nevertheless a good precaution, particularly if you have used the same password elsewhere. I recommend using a unique password for ProZ.com and for other important profiles, and setting up 2FA for the email address you connect to your most important accounts.

my gmail allert | Well...

Gregor Trebec — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:04:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Gregor Trebec
Post title: Well...

It was sent from no-reply@google accounts, mailed by gaia.bounces.google.com

my gmail allert | contact support

Zea_Mays — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:52:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: contact support

Who has sent you that message? There was a real issue with hacked accounts (from an external exploit), so this message may be related to it. Contacting support would help getting some clarity.

my gmail allert

Gregor Trebec — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:06:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: my gmail allert
Poster: Gregor Trebec

Hi,

Today in my Gmail I received an allert that my Proz's password is compromised and found on the internet. :o
Or Gmail is lying, or Proz is not telling you everything. I think I will change the pass.

Cannot see private messages | @Gregor

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:37:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Cannot see private messages
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: @Gregor

I don’t think they are stored by Proz. I don’t understand your problem: if you used gmail to reply, they are stored in your sent box (unless you have deleted it).

Cannot see private messages | not stored by ProZ

Zea_Mays — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:56:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Cannot see private messages
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: not stored by ProZ

[quote]Gregor Trebec wrote:

Yes, I can see this page but the inbox is empty. There should be at least two messages already. Thank you [/quote]

Then it was a type of messages that is not stored by ProZ.

Cannot see private messages | Yes

Gregor Trebec — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:48:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Cannot see private messages
Poster: Gregor Trebec
Post title: Yes

Yes, I can see this page but the inbox is empty. There should be at least two messages already. Thank you

Cannot see private messages | maybe broken link or message is not stored by ProZ?

Zea_Mays — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:46:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Cannot see private messages
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: maybe broken link or message is not stored by ProZ?

Maybe it depends on the type of message.
Can you see this page: [url removed] ?

Cannot see private messages

Gregor Trebec — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Cannot see private messages
Poster: Gregor Trebec

Hi,

Again I was contacted by a client via private message, delivered in gmail and again i connot see them when i enter Proz. Am I missing something?
Than, I just replied as usual in gmail. Why can i not see private messages?

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | profile help?

Ridvan Ali Patat — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 16:20:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Ridvan Ali Patat
Post title: profile help?

I've just noticed this topic was moved to "ProZ.com profile help"!

hah!

I don't need help with my profile, I'm happy with it.

ProZ.com needs a better bot-prevention solution, and a less time-wasting authentication mechanism - that the my point of the topic!

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | I'd have them bring their worst on

Ridvan Ali Patat — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:37:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Ridvan Ali Patat
Post title: I'd have them bring their worst on

[quote]Karletto123 wrote:

I think, if worse comes to worse they will try to scam you in the old age. [/quote]

that doesn't scare me TBH as spotting and fighting scam attempts have become a daily chore lately.

having to spot cars and buses and fire hydrants and motorcycles over my coffee though; now, that gets on my nerves. especially after seeing proof that it's not really working.

An MFA using text messages or one-off authentication codes would be much less annoying perhaps?

neater, more reliable and definitely less time consuming, isn't it?

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | I think...

Gregor Trebec — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:24:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Gregor Trebec
Post title: I think...

I think, if worse comes to worse they will try to scam you in the old age.

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | a major concern

Ridvan Ali Patat — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:22:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Ridvan Ali Patat
Post title: a major concern

[quote]ATIL KAYHAN wrote:

It looks like I am experiencing a high number of visitors lately, too. Our ProZ profiles contain highly personal and sensitive information including our photo, CV/resume, links to other sites or profiles, biography, phone numbers, email addresses, exact coordinates (postal address), and so on.

I noticed these patterns for my profile visitors upon a general look:

- All are first-time visitors
- None are logged in
- Concentrated on the last few days (June 15 through 18)
- Came from direct link/unknown

I wonder what comments could ProZ administrators make on this strange incident, if any.
[/quote]

I can't see who the visitors are - not a paid member - but the unusual hike is there, unmistakably.

I remember sth like this happening a few months ago, following which a sudden drop happened in the number. I interpreted that drop as a sweep by the site admins.

and the concern regarding sensitive information; that's a major one.

an update: the number is nearly 400 as of today.

[Edited at 2026-06-19 08:28 GMT]

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | Some Pattern?

ATIL KAYHAN — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:19:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: ATIL KAYHAN
Post title: Some Pattern?

It looks like I am experiencing a high number of visitors lately, too. Our ProZ profiles contain highly personal and sensitive information including our photo, CV/resume, links to other sites or profiles, biography, phone numbers, email addresses, exact coordinates (postal address), and so on.

I noticed these patterns for my profile visitors upon a general look:

- All are first-time visitors
- None are logged in
- Concentrated on the last few days (June 15 through 18)
- Came from direct link/unknown

I wonder what comments could ProZ administrators make on this strange incident, if any.

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors | Or it could be bugs ...

Daryo — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:39:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Daryo
Post title: Or it could be bugs ...

[quote]Rıdvan Patat wrote:

hello,

I don't know if this applies for anybody else, but lately - within the last week or so - I've been observing an unusual hike in the number of visits to my profile. and the figure is unrealistic!

until a few days ago, the number of visitors shown on my profile was 40 sth. today, it's nearly 300!

that's obviously some sort of 'bot' activity, isn't it?

and if so,

and if the system fails to prevent bots from walking in and taking their time around as they like,

why am I - an actual human - wasting 20 to 30 seconds trying to spot fire hydrants and cars and motorcycles and crosswalks and traffic lights every morning so I can log in and check out what's happening here?

any thoughts? [/quote]
Or it could be bugs ... software bugs being given free rein?

At some point my profile in the 'new edition' of Proz was showing 4 million 337 thousand 389 Kudoz points [it has been corrected] And few other bugs.

As for bots roaming freely around the site there is one logical question that can't be avoided:

A number of people couldn't be bothered to do anything by themselves and instead use bots (aka AI agents) to do all sort of things for them on the Web.

I don't hear of any demand for refunds because bots are prevented from accessing whatever they want, so logically bots must be pretty damn good at getting past all these right-pain-in-the-neck 'anti-bot verifications'?

IOW the only explanation no one complains about bots (/ AI agents) being useless must be that bots can't be stopped by all these 'verifications'.

While 'real people' get their time wasted again and again ...

Makes sense? Or I missed something?

Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors

Ridvan Ali Patat — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:40:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Unusual (and unrealistic) hike in the number of profile visitors
Poster: Ridvan Ali Patat

hello,

I don't know if this applies for anybody else, but lately - within the last week or so - I've been observing an unusual hike in the number of visits to my profile. and the figure is unrealistic!

until a few days ago, the number of visitors shown on my profile was 40 sth. today, it's nearly 300!

that's obviously some sort of 'bot' activity, isn't it?

and if so,

and if the system fails to prevent bots from walking in and taking their time around as they like,

why am I - an actual human - wasting 20 to 30 seconds trying to spot fire hydrants and cars and motorcycles and crosswalks and traffic lights every morning so I can log in and check out what's happening here?

any thoughts?

Only 1 native language? | Would this test be objective enough?

Daryo — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:28:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Daryo
Post title: Would this test be objective enough?

You could devise a variant of the Turing test for 'nativeness':

(1) introduce a possible bilingual to someone who is for sure 'native' of some language (as he/she speaks only that one language, for example), under a name that sounds 'native enough';

(2) few hours/days/weeks later ask the one who is definitely 'native' if their new acquaintance is 'native' or not of their language.

Do that for two languages and there WILL BE a number of people who can effortlessly pass this 'nativenes Turing Test'. Some even for three or more languages.

Proof enough?

Never mind that for the purpose of translating or interpreting 'nativeness' in the subject matter often trumps the importance of 'general purpose' nativeness ...

Only 1 native language? | .

Gerard Barry — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:05:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Gerard Barry
Post title: .

[quote]Zea_Mays wrote:

[quote]Karletto666 wrote:

Speaking, comprehending and writing are different skills. I kind of speak Italian, I understand it better but i am more lousy at writing it. Does it make me native Italian? [/quote]

Let's take this seriously just for a moment, rather than viewing it at as a provocation by a language service provider playing dumb and pretending not to have basic knowledge of their profession, like the etymology of 'native' - from Latin 'nātīvus' > from 'nātus' ('birth').
My language proficiency assessment score for English is 100% for reading (C1/C2, Upper Advanced) and 70% for listening (B1/B2, Intermediate - I understand standard speech when well articulated). Does this mean that I am a native speaker of English?
Some contributors to this very thread claim they translate into English in their profiles while it is clear to even non-native speakers that it's not their mother tongue. So who's the imposter here? [/quote]

Based on the fact that you say you only understand "standard speech when well articulated" means to me that you're not a native speaker. What does "standard speech" even mean? Native English speakers can usually understand all variants of the language reasonably well.

Only 1 native language? | Yes it is possible to have two or more native languages

Brian Gallegos M.A. — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:46:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Brian Gallegos M.A.
Post title: Yes it is possible to have two or more native languages

It's not unusual at all for children to grow up speaking two languages at home and in their community. Both languages are "native" in those cases.

Only 1 native language? | yes...

Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:50:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Post title: yes...

...even so called bilinguals have always a dominant language. This is especially true when writing.

[quote]The Shredder wrote:

FWIW I don’t believe anybody is truly bilingual.

[/quote]

Only 1 native language? | It’s been a while…

The Shredder — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:14:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: The Shredder
Post title: It’s been a while…

… since we had the native/non-native argument on here.

FWIW I don’t believe anybody is truly bilingual.

But in this age of growing illiteracy thanks to social media and AI, it really doesn’t matter much any more. Perfection, style, feel, naturalness are no longer in demand.

Only 1 native language? | language proficiency

Zea_Mays — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:51:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Zea_Mays
Post title: language proficiency

[quote]Karletto666 wrote:

Speaking, comprehending and writing are different skills. I kind of speak Italian, I understand it better but i am more lousy at writing it. Does it make me native Italian? [/quote]

Let's take this seriously just for a moment, rather than viewing it at as a provocation by a language service provider playing dumb and pretending not to have basic knowledge of their profession, like the etymology of 'native' - from Latin 'nātīvus' > from 'nātus' ('birth').
My language proficiency assessment score for English is 100% for reading (C1/C2, Upper Advanced) and 70% for listening (B1/B2, Intermediate - I understand standard speech when well articulated). Does this mean that I am a native speaker of English?
Some contributors to this very thread claim they translate into English in their profiles while it is clear to even non-native speakers that it's not their mother tongue. So who's the imposter here?

Only 1 native language? | Two different things!

Daryo — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Daryo
Post title: Two different things!

[quote]Harishankar Shahi wrote:

One, only native in one language. If not the case of a dialect which later evolve and acknowledged as a seprate language. There is no chance a person can be native in more than one language. Being native, is other than learning or having degree in that language. But people enjoy and earn median money with these bogus claims. Even proz promotes these self-claim imposter practice. [/quote]

Proz being at times in no hurry to react to some clearly fantasist claims (what you called 'Even proz promotes these self-claim imposter practice') is ONE thing.

But these self-inflated claims can not change ANOTHER reality: that there IS a number of people who are native in more than one language as proven by THE FACT that they would be seen as such by other 'natives' in these two (or more!) languages.

To make a parallel: couch potatoes who can barely walk to the nearest corner shop claiming they can walk a stretch of 10-20 miles does NOT change the fact that some other people really can.

Or to put it in yet another way: just because *you* don't know any truly bilingual people doesn't mean that 'here is no chance a person can be native in more than one language'.

Only 1 native language? | Insulting.

Marijke Singer — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:39:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Marijke Singer
Post title: Insulting.

[quote]Karletto666 wrote:

So what should people do when brought up in an environment where they were brought up in 2 or more languages from a very early age and actually went to schools in those languages?

Only 1 native language? | Native

expressisverbis — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:40:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: expressisverbis
Post title: Native

[quote]Karletto666 wrote:

Speaking, comprehending and writing are different skills. I kind of speak Italian, I understand it better but i am more lousy at writing it. Does it make me native Italian? [/quote]

Native speaker status comes from early, natural acquisition in childhood, not later learning or proficiency.
I am Portuguese by birth and a native speaker of European Portuguese.
This often means a deeper intuitive understanding of the language, including the ability to recognize regional and local accents, a strong sense of what sounds natural, and sensitivity to idiomatic expressions, tone, and context.
It also includes an intuitive grasp of register and usage, rather than explicit knowledge of grammatical rules, etc.
So, I am a native Portuguese speaker: does that make me a native speaker of Brazilian Portuguese as well? 😁
Short answer: no, nativeness doesn’t automatically transfer across varieties you didn’t acquire as a native.

Only 1 native language? | Well..

Gregor Trebec — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 01:57:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Gregor Trebec
Post title: Well..

Speaking, comprehending and writing are different skills. I kind of speak Italian, I understand it better but i am more lousy at writing it. Does it make me native Italian?

Only 1 native language? | Another case

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:33:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Another case

I’ve just remembered another case that I know well. When I worked at the EU, as it’s an international environment, some of my colleagues married people of other nationalities. In particular, a Portuguese colleague of mine married an Italian and they had three daughters, all born in Brussels. They studied at the French-speaking section of the European School and were brought up from a very young age to speak Italian with their father, Portuguese with their mother, and French amongst themselves. Whenever I went over for dinner, I was struck by the ease with which they would switch between the three languages in the middle of a conversation without any hesitation. One of them naturally works as an interpreter today. They have dual nationality (Portuguese and Italian) but if you ask them what their native language is, they will say French…

Only 1 native language? | I don't agree, sorry!

expressisverbis — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:26:00 +0000

Forum: ProZ.com profile help
Topic: Only 1 native language?
Poster: expressisverbis
Post title: I don't agree, sorry!

[quote]Harishankar Shahi wrote:

One, only native in one language. If not the case of a dialect which later evolve and acknowledged as a seprate language. There is no chance a person can be native in more than one language. Being native, is other than learning or having degree in that language. But people enjoy and earn median money with these bogus claims. Even proz promotes these self-claim imposter practice. [/quote]

Not true.
People can be native in more than one language if they acquire them from early childhood in a bilingual environment.
There are many children whose parents speak different native languages, and those children grow up bilingual from birth. I’m sure many fellow translators here have had similar experiences.
For example, a European Portuguese friend married to an Egyptian has a son who understands both parents and responds to each in their respective language.
I’m not bilingual myself, and I only translate into my native language. Portuguese can be quite difficult at times, but I enjoy the complexity 😊.