| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Cancellation fee Thread poster: Anne McDowall
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Anne McDowall 
France
Local time: 16:54
Member (2016)
French to English
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I've been approached by an individual (via this site) to translate a 19,000-word paper from French to English. However, having got just a couple of hours in, I've discovered that the whole text is already available in English – and I'm pretty certain was written in English and subsequently translated into French. I've asked the client to call me urgently but I can't see a good outcome for me in this. Obviously, I've not spent a vast amount of time on this, but if I end up losing the project (a... See more I've been approached by an individual (via this site) to translate a 19,000-word paper from French to English. However, having got just a couple of hours in, I've discovered that the whole text is already available in English – and I'm pretty certain was written in English and subsequently translated into French. I've asked the client to call me urgently but I can't see a good outcome for me in this. Obviously, I've not spent a vast amount of time on this, but if I end up losing the project (and I can't see any alternative), I've lost a lot of potential income. Does anyone have any experience of similar and/or advice on what I could reasonably request that she pay me if the project is called off? ▲ Collapse
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Are you sure this isn't the usual cheque prepayment scam?
Individual (not a company) using a Gmail address (I presume) requesting translation of a large document available online, not discussing the rate (I presume) and claiming to pay in advance (I presume).
Many translators in France have been targeted, probably because of the widespread use of cheques in France.
In such a case, a counterfeit cheque is either sent to you or deposited at your bank and the ... See more Are you sure this isn't the usual cheque prepayment scam?
Individual (not a company) using a Gmail address (I presume) requesting translation of a large document available online, not discussing the rate (I presume) and claiming to pay in advance (I presume).
Many translators in France have been targeted, probably because of the widespread use of cheques in France.
In such a case, a counterfeit cheque is either sent to you or deposited at your bank and the 'client' will ask for a refund before the cheque bounces.
Be careful! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 10:54
German to English
| This has happened to me | Jun 8, 2020 |
I notified the client and invoiced for an hour of my time.
BUT – that was before scams became common. Are you certain that this is a legitimate job?
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 16:54
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Anne McDowall wrote:
Obviously, I've not spent a vast amount of time on this, but if I end up losing the project (and I can't see any alternative), I've lost a lot of potential income. Does anyone have any experience of similar and/or advice on what I could reasonably request that she pay me if the project is called off?
Unless you agreed on a cancellation fee with the client, I don't think you can charge a cancellation fee without negotiating it with the client.
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By the way, I agree with Thomas that you should check if this is a scam. "19 000 words" has an awfully familiar ring to it. Check out these pages:
https://www.proz.com/forum/scams-946.html
http://www.translator-scammers.com/translator-scammers-directory.htm
[Edited at 2020-06-08 15:57 GMT]
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Heike Holthaus
United States
Local time: 10:54
Member (2012)
English to German
+ ...
| First impression: scam | Jun 8, 2020 |
I concur with Thomas and Samuel.
[Edited at 2020-06-08 15:55 GMT]
| | | | Anne McDowall
France
Local time: 16:54
Member (2016)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I don't think it's a scam. | Jun 8, 2020 |
Thanks, everyone, for replying so quickly. Having got stung for 3500€ some years ago (all because I'd mistakenly assumed that I was safe once the cheque had been cleared by my bank), I'm determined not to get caught again and would never accept payment by cheque now. Thanks to your warnings, however, I've run the client's name through here and it turns out she's a ProZ member, so I doubt it's a scam!
I'm still a bit stumped: I find it hard to believe she's unaware that the whole text is... See more Thanks, everyone, for replying so quickly. Having got stung for 3500€ some years ago (all because I'd mistakenly assumed that I was safe once the cheque had been cleared by my bank), I'm determined not to get caught again and would never accept payment by cheque now. Thanks to your warnings, however, I've run the client's name through here and it turns out she's a ProZ member, so I doubt it's a scam!
I'm still a bit stumped: I find it hard to believe she's unaware that the whole text is a translation from English, which leads me to wonder whether she's just wanting to plagiarise the whole thing – or rather, effectively get me to do so. To be honest, I'm not happy about either situation.
Any more thoughts anyone? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thomas Pfann
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:54
Member (2006)
English to German
+ ...
Regardless of whether it is or isn't a scam: Why would you assume that your work is no longer needed (and will not be paid) just because a translation of the same source text already exists elsewhere?
It is not for you to decide whether or not your client needs the translation they ordered. By all means mention it to them if you find a translation and think that your client doesn't really need a new translation. However, there might well be good reasons why they do need their own t... See more Regardless of whether it is or isn't a scam: Why would you assume that your work is no longer needed (and will not be paid) just because a translation of the same source text already exists elsewhere?
It is not for you to decide whether or not your client needs the translation they ordered. By all means mention it to them if you find a translation and think that your client doesn't really need a new translation. However, there might well be good reasons why they do need their own translation.
And even if your client decides that she doesn't need your translation after all, there is no reason why she shouldn't pay you for the work you've already done.
[Edited at 2020-06-08 16:19 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Anne McDowall
France
Local time: 16:54
Member (2016)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @Thomas Pfann | Jun 8, 2020 |
The issue is not another translation: I'm 99% sure that the original text is the English version and I'm being asked to translate from French back into English…
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| Have you been paid? | Jun 8, 2020 |
Anne McDowall wrote:
Thanks, everyone, for replying so quickly. Having got stung for 3500€ some years ago (all because I'd mistakenly assumed that I was safe once the cheque had been cleared by my bank), I'm determined not to get caught again and would never accept payment by cheque now. Thanks to your warnings, however, I've run the client's name through here and it turns out she's a ProZ member, so I doubt it's a scam!
It still sounds murky. Have you actually been paid? How? Some scammers make it look like a bank transfer by posting their cheque to the bank so you never see the cheque but only an amount credited.
Being a Proz member in itself doesn't guarantee anything. Anyone can create an account. What we need to know is if it's a member that has been registered and active for many years.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 16:54
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Anne McDowall wrote:
I'm still a bit stumped: I find it hard to believe she's unaware that the whole text is a translation from English...
Maybe she doesn't own the copyright on the original, but she does own the copyright on the translation.
| | | | Anne McDowall
France
Local time: 16:54
Member (2016)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
OK, it is a scam! I checked out the person here, who seemed legit, and managed to call her. Natasha Liberman does exist, and has lots of experience and credentials, but she's NOT the person who's commissioned me!! Better late than never (
I'm not sure how to signal this anywhere else given that the real Natasha Liberman does exist. She said that there have been other alerts on ProZ for about a week…
The question... See more OK, it is a scam! I checked out the person here, who seemed legit, and managed to call her. Natasha Liberman does exist, and has lots of experience and credentials, but she's NOT the person who's commissioned me!! Better late than never(
I'm not sure how to signal this anywhere else given that the real Natasha Liberman does exist. She said that there have been other alerts on ProZ for about a week…
The question I'm now asking myself is what exactly is the nature of the scam? I.e. what's in it for the scammer. I'll need to call my bank as I've sent her my bank details, but I can't see how she could get money out of my bank account without my say-so.
Anyone got any reassurance for me or can comment on this. (BTW, I'm in France.)
Thanks again for all your alerts!
[Edited at 2020-06-08 16:35 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck | Jun 8, 2020 |
In your own interest, you clearly need to tighten up your due diligence and not take claims at face value.
I recently heard about the Liberman impersonation, but scams are not detected by looking up names but by detecting if the methods and scenarios look genuine or follow a scam pattern.
Since you had already been scammed once (and fell for this scam too), you may be on a so-called sucker list (no offence intended, but that's what it's called) and thus susceptible to b... See more In your own interest, you clearly need to tighten up your due diligence and not take claims at face value.
I recently heard about the Liberman impersonation, but scams are not detected by looking up names but by detecting if the methods and scenarios look genuine or follow a scam pattern.
Since you had already been scammed once (and fell for this scam too), you may be on a so-called sucker list (no offence intended, but that's what it's called) and thus susceptible to be targeted again. ▲ Collapse
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Anne McDowall wrote:
The question I'm now asking myself is what exactly is the nature of the scam? I.e. what's in it for the scammer. I'll need to call my bank as I've sent her my bank details, but I can't see how she could get money out of my bank account without my say-so.
The scammer will presumably make up a reason to ask for a refund. For example that an English version is already available.
With your bank details, the scammer can post a cheque directly to your bank and get it credited so you think it's a bank transfer and that you have the money.
| | | | Anne McDowall
France
Local time: 16:54
Member (2016)
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @Thomas T Frost | Jun 8, 2020 |
I didn't have any particular reason to doubt this one, but wouldn't, in any case, have continued working on it beyond today (I wanted to check how long it would take) without having received an advance payment.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 16:54
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Not only that ... | Jun 8, 2020 |
... but poor Natasha herself was targeted 5 years ago, I saw.
Maybe people have been using her details since then, because she's been all over the forums quite recently, e.g.:
... See more ... but poor Natasha herself was targeted 5 years ago, I saw.
Maybe people have been using her details since then, because she's been all over the forums quite recently, e.g.:
https://www.proz.com/forum/scams/340208-research_project_on_agricultural_reforms_in_eu_translation_scam_marie_stephens.html
... where you can see what a fake cheque looks like (page 3 of the link). Just like a real cheque, only the fake says "Official check" on it to throw you. A cunning plan indeed.
[Edited at 2020-06-08 16:49 GMT]
[Edited at 2020-06-08 16:50 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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