| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19] | Scam: Public Organization Procedures Research Phase 1 and 2 Thread poster: Samuel Murray
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The very generic title of the document was one alarm bell.
The prospective client's poor English and weird self-presentation ("I hope you will treat me well just like others as I am deaf of hearing") was another.
The final giveaway was the stipulation "I'm proposing a cashier's check or bank certified check for the payment. You will be getting the payment before you start the project."
Glad to see confirmation here on the forum. Thanks, fellow ProZers.
- J
| | | | | Still making the rounds, Nov. 2024! | Nov 23, 2024 |
I also received a request to translate this document. I spotted the scam pretty quickly. Apologies, I’m not a frequent user of this site, but I do not understand why every single request of this nature I’ve received through Proz.com initially appears to come from a registered user, but when I click on the link to their profile, it’s either been deleted or nonexistent. Wondering if Proz.com could be doing more to vet potential ‘clients’ ? I’m also asking because we’re beginning to h... See more I also received a request to translate this document. I spotted the scam pretty quickly. Apologies, I’m not a frequent user of this site, but I do not understand why every single request of this nature I’ve received through Proz.com initially appears to come from a registered user, but when I click on the link to their profile, it’s either been deleted or nonexistent. Wondering if Proz.com could be doing more to vet potential ‘clients’ ? I’m also asking because we’re beginning to have similar problems with the OTTIAQ website in Québec. Thanks! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Iris Shalev 
United States
Local time: 22:28
Member (2007)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Debora Johnson | Nov 25, 2024 |
I got the same message from someone called Debora Johnson. Same exact messages except asking for English into Dutch. Glad I did some research. Thanks!
| | | | | LUKSO, once more. | Nov 30, 2024 |
Three years later, this scam is still alive and well. This time, I received a 19-page document to be translated from EN to FR. Canada Post just went on strike yesterday, so I have been pushing for a Interac transfer, like I do for the vast majority of my clients. I wonder how she will reply. I'll keep you posted.
Edited: She did email once again to say I was to expect a Fed-ex, with the chequ and an additional article. A week later, nothing.
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Karen Caruana
Canada
Local time: 00:28
Member (2018)
French to English
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| The scam continues | Nov 30, 2024 |
One Mercedes Waldrop (whose name is quoted here earlier) followed up her initial inquiry regarding the translation of a document from French into English with the following:
Hello, I will require your service to translate the attached document. In the meantime, could you also confirm your charges per page, per source word or for the entire translation? The deadline for this Project is 1 month and a week starting from 6/December/2024. Finally, I'm proposing a bank draft check or bank... See more One Mercedes Waldrop (whose name is quoted here earlier) followed up her initial inquiry regarding the translation of a document from French into English with the following:
Hello, I will require your service to translate the attached document. In the meantime, could you also confirm your charges per page, per source word or for the entire translation? The deadline for this Project is 1 month and a week starting from 6/December/2024. Finally, I'm proposing a bank draft check or bank certified check for the payment. Please do not hesitate to confirm if this is okay with you? I look forward to reading from you soon.
It was the "bank draft check or bank certified check" that alerted me. Out of curiosity, I sent her a quote, asked if she worked for an organization, and told her I wouldn't take checks. Her reply is nearly identical to replies that others have posted here:
I quite agree with your price quote, I am willing to pay for your service, this translation is for a seminar and it's coming up soon. I would like to make an advance payment or make the full payment by check through FedEx, so you know you have my job with you, In the meantime do get back to me with the following payment information in the format below.
1. Full Name to be written on the Check
2. Full Physical Address:
3. Mobile number
Your payment will be prepared once I have the requested details. Get back to me asap
I love how it went from the project not being due for a month, with the start date 6 days from today, though she had already sent the document, to "Get back to me asap."
Stay alert dear colleagues! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Thank you for the update | Dec 3, 2024 |
Etienne Lehoux-Jobin wrote:
A few days ago, I received an email from Katherine Kotacska (katherine.kota1989@gmail.com) sent from OTTIAQ's (Québec Translators' Association) member directory. The email seemed legit, but I somehow feared a scam, so I googled a few lines from the document she sent me, and that's how I ended up here. The document begins thus: "LUKSO Organization Creative Research Phase 1". I found this blog post ( https://atasavvynewcomer.org/2018/05/22/how-to-identify-and-avoid-translation-scammers/) useful in detecting potential translation scammers. Anyway, don't fall for that scam!
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lucie mayer wrote:
Three years later, this scam is still alive and well. This time, I received a 19-page document to be translated from EN to FR. Canada Post just went on strike yesterday, so I have been pushing for a Interac transfer, like I do for the vast majority of my clients. I wonder how she will reply. I'll keep you posted.
Edited: She did email once again to say I was to expect a Fed-ex, with the chequ and an additional article. A week later, nothing.
So, to my utter surprise, I got a cheque delivered by FedEx, to the amount of $3 950. That is a lot of money. I just got off the phone with my local police and tomorrow, I will be posting a detailled story on FB. Of course, I will not be cashing the cheque, but in the morning, I will be calling my bank for them to check whether the cheque I received is legit.
Oh, my scammer is using the name Wendy Conroy. The cheque is issued by the BMO in Toronto (I'm also calling them tomorrow) and the name on the cheque is Miller Waste Systems Inc, 8050 Woodbine Ave, Markham, ON L3R 2N8.
Scammers, get a life.
| | | | Tal Penn
Local time: 07:28
English to Hebrew
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| SOOOOOO glad I checked here first!! before accepting this offer. Thank you all guys! | Jan 9 |
message:
Happy New Year How are you doing? I will be glad if you are
Available to translate English to Hebrew reply via email
tw2550332@gmail.com
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than got:
Greeting to you happy new year also. how are you doing ? I'm pleased to know you are interested in handling this project. It will be nice working with you.I am 65yrs old and I hope you will treat me well just like other as I am deaf of hearing…. ... See more message:
Happy New Year How are you doing? I will be glad if you are
Available to translate English to Hebrew reply via email
tw2550332@gmail.com
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than got:
Greeting to you happy new year also. how are you doing ? I'm pleased to know you are interested in handling this project. It will be nice working with you.I am 65yrs old and I hope you will treat me well just like other as I am deaf of hearing…. I will be glad if you can handle project very well However, I will require your service to translate the attached English document. In the mean time, could you also confirm your charges per page, per source word or for the entire translation? 44 pages and 11646 words in total let me know how much you will charge ??The deadline for this Project is 1 month starting from 10TH/FEBRUARY /2025. Finally, I'm proposing a bank draft or bank certified cheque for the payment. You will be getting the payment before you start the project .Please do not hesitate to confirm if this is okay with you? We have had bad experience with online banking app likes of etranfer and PayPal .I look forward to reading from you soon + file "PUBLIC ORGANISATION PROCEDURES RESEARCH PHASE 1". ▲ Collapse
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Natalie
Poland
Local time: 06:28
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...
MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER | It was a Nigerian scammer, 'Tina Water' | Jan 10 |
The originating IPs were
154.120.107.109
154.118.21.114
| | | | Judit Ferrer
France
Local time: 06:28
Spanish to Catalan
+ ...
| Same thing happened to me | Jan 22 |
They sent me an email using the name Victoria Craig (IP 173.244.62.32) and they asked me to translate the document "PUBLIC ORGANISATION PROCEDURES RESEARCH PHASE 1". At first I accepted the job but then they asked me to pay me via cheque. Thank god I found this forum because I was going to accept.
| | | | | Still going on...! | Jan 23 |
Hello,
I received the same mail, same wording, same file, name Victoria Craig. Many red flags, but still, glad to have found this thread!
What I can’t quite fathom though is the point of this scam. If I'd received a check that bounced, that would be that.
It’s not data phishing either as the information they ask for is readily available online anyhow. Can anyone explain that?
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I just got the same message as above.
I will require your service to translate the attached document. In the meantime, can you confirm your charges per page, per source word or for the entire translation? The deadline for this Project is 1 month starting from 25 January -2024.Finally, what would be your preferred mode of payment? Though I'm proposing a certified bank draft, cashier's check a bank certified check or money order. Please do not hesitate to confirm if this is okay with you, I ... See more I just got the same message as above.
I will require your service to translate the attached document. In the meantime, can you confirm your charges per page, per source word or for the entire translation? The deadline for this Project is 1 month starting from 25 January -2024.Finally, what would be your preferred mode of payment? Though I'm proposing a certified bank draft, cashier's check a bank certified check or money order. Please do not hesitate to confirm if this is okay with you, I look forward to reading from you soon
They are requesting to pay in advance.
I would like to make an advance payment or make the full payment so you know you have my job with you. In the meantime, do get back to me with the following payment information in the format below.
1. Full Name to be written on the Check
2. Full Physical Address:
3. Mobile number
They actually deposit the money in your account and then withdraw it. ▲ Collapse
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| It's still out there! | Feb 5 |
Hi all, I've received the same document for translation (English to Russian). And the check was for 5,000 euros! (Needless to say, I asked just about 600 or something.) Ain't that cool. The name is Tina Water, and "she" even wrote that she was "deaf of hearing."
| | | | | John Andreas is still active | Mar 21 |
the same history, this John Andreas is getting our details from different American sites, he wrote that found the mine on NETA database. Thank you very much and be careful!
| | | | | Now as Sophia Giacchino | Apr 17 |
This is still making the rounds!
And as I read earlier, they are targeting professional translators. The mail said they found me on the BDÜ database (the professional association of German translators and interpreters).
I received the same e-mail, same document, from a Sophia Giacchino (English to Catalan). I was very hesitant since bank checks are very rare in Germany, where I'm based, so I started investigating. Glad I did!
Keep your eyes open!
[Editado a las 2025-04-... See more This is still making the rounds!
And as I read earlier, they are targeting professional translators. The mail said they found me on the BDÜ database (the professional association of German translators and interpreters).
I received the same e-mail, same document, from a Sophia Giacchino (English to Catalan). I was very hesitant since bank checks are very rare in Germany, where I'm based, so I started investigating. Glad I did!
Keep your eyes open!
[Editado a las 2025-04-17 08:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Scam: Public Organization Procedures Research Phase 1 and 2 | CafeTran Espresso |
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