Protect Yourself from Translation Scammers
A month ago, we sent an assignment from one of our clients to one of our trusted translators who agreed to the assignment and gave us a deadline. So far, so good. The following day we received a speculative email from what seemed to be the same translator: the same name, website, link to the website, Proz profile etc. The only thing that was different was the email address, which was worlds away from our colleague’s email address. We’ve been working with our translators for years and vet all of them before we start working with them, so we knew we’d received an email from an imposter translator. What did we do? We immediately informed the translator that somebody was using her information to get translation work and recommended she report it. Naturally, she was devastated and didn’t know how to react to the unfortunate news.
Scam alert: How to spot a scam translation agency or translator
Unfortunately, most translators have their CVs and contact details freely available to view on the internet, making them easy targets for impersonators to simply reuse all their information and apply for jobs using their good reputation. The same goes for translation agencies. Unscrupulous internet users will copy the details of reputable professional translation agencies and contact businesses with ridiculously low rates.
What’s the risk to your business? You can guarantee you’ll get a translation that’s been done using Google Translate.
What’s the risk to real translators and translation agencies? Our reputations are tarnished because businesses think they’ve worked with us and we’ve provided them with a sub-standard translation that makes a mockery of their business and the art of translation itself.
So, how do you spot an imposter in your inbox?
Check the email address:
It may well be that the translator or agency uses a few different email addresses, but the one you’ve received an email from should match the one in their CV (if they send it to you) or on a professional platform. If you’re unsure, copy and paste the email address into Google to search for scam alerts on Proz.
Read the source language:
Put yourself in the agency’s shoes: if they’re contacting you to work on a job from English into French, their English should be fluent or as close as you can get. So, any applications for jobs with English as a source language that are poorly written, contain spelling/grammar mistakes etc. should ring alarm bells. How can you expect a good translation from someone who hasn’t mastered the source language?
Look at the price:
Translators are highly-skilled linguists and their hard work doesn’t come cheap. If the price you’re seeing sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Imposter translators can charge incredibly low prices because all they do is run the text through Google Translate for free and deliver a sub-standard translation.
Search for reviews:
Translation agencies don’t always get Google reviews, but we do get reviews on translation platforms such as Proz and TranslatorsCafe. For example, if you search for Active Languages translation agency, you’ll find our information on the professional Blue Board which provides a star rating for how willing our translators are to work with us. If you spot anything under 3 stars, there’s a good chance that the translation agency isn’t treating the translators they work with very well in terms of payment or communication.
Scam alert: How to spot a scam translation agency or translator
Final thoughts…
We work very hard to build a good reputation and any impersonators delivering poor translations using the name of a real translator or translation agency can damage or even ruin our reputation. The translation industry is hard enough at the moment without scammers using our CVs and profiles to get work under our steam. If you receive any emails from a dubious translator or translation agency, you know who to call… Active Languages Translation Agency!
Contact our Translation Agency
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Active Languages is recommended by FRENCH-PARIS: “Choose a Trusted Translation Agency: Contact Active Languages today to learn how their professional translation services can help you reach new markets and achieve your international goals.”
Active Languages is recommended by PARIS-MOVE: “The Best Translation Company for all your needs! Recommended by the PARIS-MOVE editorial staff.”
