Translation scams, including those involving certified translations, are indeed on the rise. We’ve seen a worrying rise in legal firms contacting us for help with translating legal documents for use in court.
Warning: certified translation scams on the rise
A couple of months ago, a legal firm contacted us after having a marriage certificate translated by another translation agency. Since it was for use in court, it needed to be a certified translation done by a translator approved to carry out certified translations. Unfortunately, our client had their translation rejected by the British courts because the translation agency they had provided a statement of truth signed by the agency’s manager, not the translator themselves. On top of that, the agency had sent the translation as an email attachment when the original documents are required for use in court. Our client had not only wasted precious time, holding up any legal proceedings waiting for the correct document to be sent and approved by the court, but also their client’s money, as it would all need doing again.
What exactly is a certified translation?
A certified translation requires a statement of truth from the translator themselves with their seal or stamp. Alternatively, the translator can take it to a notary public for translation. It then needs to be posted out to the client. A PDF can be emailed as proof of completion but only the original document with the stamp or seal will be accepted for use in court.
Why are these other translation agencies cutting corners? It’s simple: cost. Working with a translator who can carry out certified translations is more expensive because they have the necessary credentials to complete, they take time out to go to the notary and post the document out to the client. It’s much cheaper to get the translation done by a regular translator, write your own statement of truth on behalf of the agency, email it and cross your fingers that it all goes smoothly…
What happens if you go with a translation agency which does not follow the correct process?
The court will reject your translation. It’s as simple as that. Then you’re back to square one, you’ve spent your time and money on the wrong translation.
Here’s how to avoid a legal headache and certified translation scams:
- Get a quote. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Translators who provide certified translations are few and far between, making it more expensive. In the case of our legal client, their language combination is so unique that there’s actually only one translator in the world providing certified translations!
- Ask about how the translation will be delivered. You should hear alarm bells as soon as emails are mentioned. Provide a postal address that you know will be monitored by someone and make sure it will be sent by recorded delivery.
- Check who will write the statement of truth. If you’re told that the manager or project manager can do it, you know that you’re not dealing with the right translation agency.
- Enquire if the translator will be stamping it or visiting the notary. It doesn’t make a difference to the certified translation itself, but it will prove to the agency you’re dealing with that you know and understand the process so they can’t pull the wool over your eyes.Once you’ve asked these questions, you should be safe in the knowledge that the translation agency knows what they’re doing and you’ll get what you need to use in court.
If you have any questions about legal translations or would like a quote, please email us at info@activelanguages.co.uk for support.
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