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Beware of a new "student" scam!
Thread poster: Gudrun Wolfrath
FrenyNLiska
FrenyNLiska  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:13
English to Portuguese
Same scam but the check was from a real Foundation Mar 26, 2012

I cannot say I fell for it, because I didn't loose any money, but I got a similar e-mail on Feb 24 and accepted the job (Sarah Patterson this time). I received the check and it was from Flight Safety Foundation, with its real address. The name and address on the check envelope also were real. The story this time: the check was in excess because her friend also wanted a translation. Then the friend didn't want anymore and she needed the money to pay for her father's surgery (great hospital I woul... See more
I cannot say I fell for it, because I didn't loose any money, but I got a similar e-mail on Feb 24 and accepted the job (Sarah Patterson this time). I received the check and it was from Flight Safety Foundation, with its real address. The name and address on the check envelope also were real. The story this time: the check was in excess because her friend also wanted a translation. Then the friend didn't want anymore and she needed the money to pay for her father's surgery (great hospital I would say - only $1400 for a surgery!). The check of course bounced after several days (beware, the bank said it would take 2 days, but it took 7). I thought was also my duty to sent an e-mail to the Flight Safety Foundation about this scam using their name. They're glad to be aware of it - but I doubt the scammers are going to use the same name again.Collapse


 
Heather Shaw
Heather Shaw  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:13
Arabic to English
+ ...
Same scam May 28, 2012

I just received the same text on STD's and adolescence, sent to me by Sarah Mcbridge,
Her first email showed an IP from Massachusetts 216.38.162.67, but today her IP is from Hamilton, Ontario 216.38.162.67. Obviously she's using a proxy... Is there some way that ProZ can identify and prohibit proxy users from sending requests?

First Message:

Am in need of your translation service; English to Arabic.
Get back to me as soon as possible.


Se
... See more
I just received the same text on STD's and adolescence, sent to me by Sarah Mcbridge,
Her first email showed an IP from Massachusetts 216.38.162.67, but today her IP is from Hamilton, Ontario 216.38.162.67. Obviously she's using a proxy... Is there some way that ProZ can identify and prohibit proxy users from sending requests?

First Message:

Am in need of your translation service; English to Arabic.
Get back to me as soon as possible.


Second Message:

Thanks for getting back to me. My name is Sarah Mcbridge; a University
student, I want you to translate this documents for me. The source
language is English and the target language is Arabic. The documents
are attached for you to review and perhaps get back to me with an
estimation [price]. The deadline is 3 weeks, is that possible? Payment
will be made through Check. Let me know how it goes and please reply
to this email for any other question.
Thanks in advance.


May everyone have a scam-free day!!
Heather
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Maria Thompson
Maria Thompson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:13
English to Bulgarian
+ ...
The same text, this scam is still going on May 16, 2013

I received the same text from Baba Meeee, email address [email protected].

Here is his reply:

Thanks for getting back to me. My name is Baba; a University student, I want you to translate this documents for me. The source language is English and the target language is Bulgarian. The document are attached for ... See more
I received the same text from Baba Meeee, email address [email protected].

Here is his reply:

Thanks for getting back to me. My name is Baba; a University student, I want you to translate this documents for me. The source language is English and the target language is Bulgarian. The document are attached for you to review and perhaps get back to me with an estimation [price]. The deadline is 3 weeks, is that possible? Payment will be made through Check. Let me know how it goes and please reply to this email for any other question.
Thanks in advance.


The text itself is the same as the one quoted before. Here is the beginning:

Adolescence' is the French word derived, from 'adolescere', which means growing up. It is the age group of 10 to 19 years. Since every individual is different and develops in his/her unique way, it is difficult to fix a particular age group. The bridge between the childhood and the adulthood is adolescence. The beginning of adolescence is known as 'puberty.' It is marked by menarche (first menstruation) in girls, which generally occurs between the age of 11 and 13 years; and by first nocturnal emission (wet dream) in boys, which generally occurs between the age of 12 and 14 years. The period of growing up is of about 4 years. Girls become mature at an early age than boys. There are physical as well as psychological changes. The physical changes precede psychological changes.

In some, the puberty may be delayed upto 16 years and in some it may be as early as at 10 years. Physical Changes (Secondary Sexual Characteristics) The physical changes in girls at puberty other than menarche are development of breasts, pubic hair, hair in the armpits, pimples on the face, appearance of vaginal secretions, functioning of sex glands, increase in height, broadening and rounding of hips and getting an attractive look. The physical changes in boys other than wet dreams are development of hair on face, in armpit and on pubis, change of voice, development of Adam's apple in the neck, pimples on the face, painful swellings in the breasts, enlargement of penis and functioning of sex glands. The height increases, the body looks muscular and the shoulders broaden. Pattern of Sexual Maturation Age in Boys Girls Years 11 - Pubic hair appears Budding of breasts 12 Pubic hair appears Growth of sex organs. 13 Growth of testes, Hair in the armpits, penis and sex glands menarche (first men- struation). 14 Wet dreams, hair in - armpits, change of voice 15 - Pimples 16 pimples End of bony growth. 17 End of bony growth.


That's how I found this thread - used a plagiarism checker website and one of the sources was this website - thanks, guys!

What made me suspicious was that the text didn't look like a student's assignment at all and also, I didn't reply to the person straight away but in a few days, just to apologise for not replying on time - and he still offered the assignment to me which is highly unusual - this is a very competitive market and any job goes within an hour, let alone days

The first IP address was from Berlin, but it was a known proxy website.

It is hard to believe that they've been using the same text for two years now. I declined politely, saying that I don't deal with cheques etc.

P.S. I received a reply to my email lol":

Well my uncle will be responsible for the fee and he said he will prefer sending you a Check which will get to you in 3 to 4 working days.If this is acceptable by you; I will like to have your full name and home address including your phone number so that the payment can be made as soon as possible. More so it will be in full payment not in advance.


They don't give up easily, do they?

[Edited at 2013-05-16 17:09 GMT]

[Edited at 2013-05-16 17:09 GMT]
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Alexander Teplitsky
Alexander Teplitsky  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:13
English to Russian
+ ...
Student's scam Jun 25, 2013

One more name in this army of poor "students" - Baba Mee. I've got three of his (or her?) emails before I wrote: "you want to fool your professor, so why I should believe you will not fool me with a payment?" After that exiting correspondence stoped.

 
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 16:13
English to Polish
+ ...
Always distrusftul of that kind of English Jun 25, 2013

I'm always distrusftul of that kind of English, especially if a native-like name is used. Native speakers of various languages, including degree holders, including language degree holders, are capable of brutally murdering their respective languages, but some things in those e-mails still flash the warning lights.

[Edited at 2013-06-25 06:07 GMT]


 
Wanda Glowinska-Rizzi
Wanda Glowinska-Rizzi
Local time: 16:13
French to English
Same scam, different 'client' Jul 24, 2013

I just got the same message asking for translating/proofreading services for a charity based here:
XXX Tours Street
Lafayette, Louisiana 70506

Email: [email protected]

Googling the article brought up many hits including this website.

Thanks for the warning.


 
Lincoln Hui
Lincoln Hui  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 23:13
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
I am a trusting person Jul 24, 2013

I would just like to point out one completely truthful sentence from these emails:

He just want to know how trusting you are.


 
Javier Wasserzug
Javier Wasserzug  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 08:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Received today Sep 11, 2013



 
Gail Tosto (X)
Gail Tosto (X)  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
I also got hit by this guy Sep 26, 2013

I received the same e-mail posted by Javier. The sender claimed the work was written by his late wife and he wanted to complete it to carry on her life's work. Because the client was an individual I said I would need to be paid up front before turning it in. Within a few days, before I gave any indication of how much time I was dedicating to the project (I ended up working 11.5 horus -- luckily it was a slow week anyway), I received a check for $1890. Mr. Barnett then said his "sponsor" had ... See more
I received the same e-mail posted by Javier. The sender claimed the work was written by his late wife and he wanted to complete it to carry on her life's work. Because the client was an individual I said I would need to be paid up front before turning it in. Within a few days, before I gave any indication of how much time I was dedicating to the project (I ended up working 11.5 horus -- luckily it was a slow week anyway), I received a check for $1890. Mr. Barnett then said his "sponsor" had sent too much money and I would need to wire it back as soon as the check arrived. I explained that the check would first have to clear, and today he's pressuring me to send it "first this morning."

At first I thought he was just some kind of idiot. I thought it was odd that he never answered any of my questions that would have helped me do a better job and never expressed any interest in the job, even after I sent him a brief sample.

After his latest e-mail pleading for me to "wire" the money (although his "sponsor" had sent a check), I googled a sample of the text he originally sent me and found this Proz conversation as well as this website:

http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4218347/k.46BD/The_Epidemic_of_Sexually_Transmitted_Diseases.htm

Late wife! That's a good one. In the future I will google a sample of any prospective job that seems equally fishy.
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Gail Tosto (X)
Gail Tosto (X)  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
Can We Send Out a General Warning? Sep 26, 2013

Is there a way for Proz to send its members (maybe via e-mail) a warning about the types of scams in circulation -- like the one on STDs that Javier and I both got? I think if I had received an e-mail about it, my guard would have been up and I would not have begun the job.

Hopefully no other translator will exceed my foolishness -- accepting the job in the first place -- and actually send the money back before the check clears, which it won't.


 
Gudrun Wolfrath
Gudrun Wolfrath  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:13
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Gail, Sep 26, 2013

You are not the first person to fall for this. Being offered a check is a clear sign in itself regardless of other circumstances.

Gudrun


 
Gail Tosto (X)
Gail Tosto (X)  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
To Gudrun Sep 26, 2013

Gudrun, I guess you're right, although I have a number of excellent corporate clients who still pay by check. But with an individual I suppose they should offer some kind of direct deposit, money order, or PayPal. Live and learn!

 
Gudrun Wolfrath
Gudrun Wolfrath  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:13
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Gail, Sep 26, 2013

Another indicater might be the "personal touch", e. g. a sick mother, a sibling in need etc.

Usually those people aren't interested in your qualifications, sometimes not even in your language pairs. It all adds up.

Whenever you have doubts just ask in one of the fora.
... See more
Another indicater might be the "personal touch", e. g. a sick mother, a sibling in need etc.

Usually those people aren't interested in your qualifications, sometimes not even in your language pairs. It all adds up.

Whenever you have doubts just ask in one of the fora.

Here's one of many helpful links:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/c/494/services/translation-agencies#!
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eva_rosell
eva_rosell  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 16:13
English to Catalan
+ ...
It happened to me today! Jan 13, 2014

I received the same text "Adolescence" today, same uncle story and this time from Terry Mcbridge!

 
elkelove (X)
elkelove (X)
Canada
Local time: 12:13
French to English
Adolescence scam Jul 14, 2014

Yep, it's still happening. I was stupid enough to reply and offer my services, so I am glad I found this forum. The name used this time had the initials (according to ProZ instructions I'm not supposed to use the actual name, but it makes reference to the US capital...

 
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Beware of a new "student" scam!







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