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A person with gmail address and Skype id gave me works and disappeared when it was time to pay!
Thread poster: Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
Jan 22, 2017

A person from India recently contacted me for document translation. I didn't sign any agreement but we agreed on how and when he will pay the money. Overtime my invoices amounted around $1300. I asked to pay the money and he said he will do it within a week. But within this week, he stopped coming online. In his Google and Skype ID, he has a profile picture. I tried to search his email address but couldn't find anything. I, again, searched using his profile picture using google image and found t... See more
A person from India recently contacted me for document translation. I didn't sign any agreement but we agreed on how and when he will pay the money. Overtime my invoices amounted around $1300. I asked to pay the money and he said he will do it within a week. But within this week, he stopped coming online. In his Google and Skype ID, he has a profile picture. I tried to search his email address but couldn't find anything. I, again, searched using his profile picture using google image and found the person's google plus and Facebook account. I contacted him and ask him to pay the money but this person says that he doesn't know me. I explained and he said that I was being victim of a fraud and these accounts are fake.

Is it possible to track using gmail address and Skype id, who the real person is?
Any advice will be highly appreciated.


Thanks a lot,
Santosh
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Dylan J Hartmann
Dylan J Hartmann  Identity Verified
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
Sorry Santosh Jan 22, 2017

This is something many of us have had to also experience before seriously improving our practices for accepting work.

Look up the Blueboard for all new agencies wanting to work with you.

I only accept work from India if payment is made in advance.

It's unlikely that you'll be able to get payment for this job. Just make sure it never happens again.

Best luck for the future.


 
Lianne van de Ven
Lianne van de Ven  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:59
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Scammers list Jan 22, 2017

Was he on this list by any chance?
http://www.translator-scammers.com/translator-scammers-directory.htm

Did you check credentials before accepting work from a skype/gmail entity?
I doubt there is any way to find out who is behind a skype or gmail account.

Read this and beware scams
... See more
Was he on this list by any chance?
http://www.translator-scammers.com/translator-scammers-directory.htm

Did you check credentials before accepting work from a skype/gmail entity?
I doubt there is any way to find out who is behind a skype or gmail account.

Read this and beware scams everywhere:
https://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/job-search-scams.shtml
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Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jan 22, 2017

Thank you for your reply. Appreciated.

 
Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you. Jan 22, 2017

DJHartmann wrote:

This is something many of us have had to also experience before seriously improving our practices for accepting work.

Look up the Blueboard for all new agencies wanting to work with you.

I only accept work from India if payment is made in advance.

It's unlikely that you'll be able to get payment for this job. Just make sure it never happens again.

Best luck for the future.


I am trying to back track from end clients, as I have all the documents I've translated.

Thank you for your input. Appreciated.


 
Maija Cirule
Maija Cirule  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 12:59
German to English
+ ...
My heart goes out to you Jan 22, 2017

as $ 1300 is a significant amount of money but I do not see how you can get your money. The lesson to be learned: never ever take on an assignment coming from such adresses as gmail, hotmail, etc. even if the assignment seems very lucrative. It's always better be safe than sorry.

Good luck!


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:59
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
White pages might help Jan 22, 2017

Yes, this is a bitter pill to swallow, and I feel for you.

Do you have a "real" (it might be fake) name and address of that person, perhaps on your invoice? If so, you might check the online phone books of that city or town. Maybe, just maybe, you find that name somewhere, then try to take legal action.

A photo doesn't really mean much. Anybody can copy/ down-/upload any given photo on the net and claim to be that person.

Good luck!


 
Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jan 22, 2017

Maija Cirule wrote:

as $ 1300 is a significant amount of money but I do not see how you can get your money. The lesson to be learned: never ever take on an assignment coming from such adresses as gmail, hotmail, etc. even if the assignment seems very lucrative. It's always better be safe than sorry.

Good luck!



Thank you for the kind words.


 
Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jan 22, 2017

Thayenga wrote:

Yes, this is a bitter pill to swallow, and I feel for you.

Do you have a "real" (it might be fake) name and address of that person, perhaps on your invoice? If so, you might check the online phone books of that city or town. Maybe, just maybe, you find that name somewhere, then try to take legal action.

A photo doesn't really mean much. Anybody can copy/ down-/upload any given photo on the net and claim to be that person.

Good luck!



Thank you for the kind words.
He gave me fake address.

Currently, I am trying to track him back from end client. I mean I have translated documents and some of these looks like online material. Once I discover my work I will contact and describe my situation. Do you think, will this work?


Thanks again


 
Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you. Jan 22, 2017

Lianne van de Ven wrote:

Was he on this list by any chance?
http://www.translator-scammers.com/translator-scammers-directory.htm

Did you check credentials before accepting work from a skype/gmail entity?
I doubt there is any way to find out who is behind a skype or gmail account.

Read this and beware scams everywhere:
https://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/job-search-scams.shtml


Thank you Lianne,
I din't check credentials. My big mistake.


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:59
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
You can try Jan 22, 2017

Santosh Rai wrote:

Currently, I am trying to track him back from end client. I mean I have translated documents and some of these looks like online material. Once I discover my work I will contact and describe my situation. Do you think, will this work?

Thanks again


Anything has a slight chance to work. If you have the time, go for it. $ 1.300 are not peanuts.

And it is vital to do your homework, especially when it's an unknown person. Gmail addresses are not necessarily a definite sign for scams, but they need to be researched carefully.

[Edited at 2017-01-22 10:08 GMT]


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:59
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Credit management Jan 22, 2017

Your lesson was about 3x more expensive than mine, several years ago, but I hope you learned it.

A few starting points:
- It's relatively easy nowadays to fake one's ID, location, intentions etc. on the Internet.
- Payments across international borders are often a hassle, expensive, time-consuming, and easily reversible (PayPal).
- It's tough to rely on references like the Blue Board, where a 4-digit default on payment has less weight than a dozen 2-digit worth job
... See more
Your lesson was about 3x more expensive than mine, several years ago, but I hope you learned it.

A few starting points:
- It's relatively easy nowadays to fake one's ID, location, intentions etc. on the Internet.
- Payments across international borders are often a hassle, expensive, time-consuming, and easily reversible (PayPal).
- It's tough to rely on references like the Blue Board, where a 4-digit default on payment has less weight than a dozen 2-digit worth jobs paid on the spot.
- Every customer is taking a risk with a first-time translator, since the delivery may be late, forlorn, and/or with unacceptable quality. Of course, conversely, every translator is taking a risk with a new (and sometimes old) client, since the payment may be late, defaulted, and/or in a lesser amount.
- I keep "transparency" as one of the values in my professional activity.

With these in mind, I've set a default starting credit limit for anyone who "looks legit", about USD 150 (BRL 500).
The way I state it makes ill-willed prospects vanish immediately. I tell them:
Most clients nowadays send material to be translated via Internet.
Unfortunately, some of them change their minds afterwards.
Therefore I've set a limit for my risk, BRL 500.
Up to that amount, I'll take the risk myself alone.
When the job in case will represent more than that, I think it is fair that client and provider should equally share the risk, by demanding a 50% advance before getting started on it.

These magic words do the trick, if the prospect is above board.

After a few successful transactions, that limit may be gradually raised, and such sharing may be eventually lifted. Of course, if the proposal looks fishy enough, I might demand full payment in advance. On the other end, good clients whose payment practices suddenly start deteriorating may have that limit reinstated, and even lowered.

The Blue Board defines LWA as the Likelihood of Working Again for a specific client. Well I'd work for the crookedest and most bad-mouthed LWA=1 translation outsourcer if they owed me nothing, and made full non-reversible payment in advance. So this criterion is rather nebulous.

The brighter side is that good faith clients, when they learn about the limit, pay immediately half of the job, to get me started at once.

[Edited at 2017-01-22 10:36 GMT]
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Santosh Rai
Santosh Rai  Identity Verified
Nepal
Local time: 16:44
English to Nepali
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jan 22, 2017

José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

Your lesson was about 3x more expensive than mine, several years ago, but I hope you learned it.

A few starting points:
- It's relatively easy nowadays to fake one's ID, location, intentions etc. on the Internet.
- Payments across international borders are often a hassle, expensive, time-consuming, and easily reversible (PayPal).
- It's tough to rely on references like the Blue Board, where a 4-digit default on payment has less weight than a dozen 2-digit worth jobs paid on the spot.
- Every customer is taking a risk with a first-time translator, since the delivery may be late, forlorn, and/or with unacceptable quality. Of course, conversely, every translator is taking a risk with a new (and sometimes old) client, since the payment may be late, defaulted, and/or in a lesser amount.
- I keep "transparency" as one of the values in my professional activity.

With these in mind, I've set a default starting credit limit for anyone who "looks legit", about USD 150 (BRL 500).
The way I state it makes ill-willed prospects vanish immediately. I tell them:
Most clients nowadays send material to be translated via Internet.
Unfortunately, some of them change their minds afterwards.
Therefore I've set a limit for my risk, BRL 500.
Up to that amount, I'll take the risk myself alone.
When the job in case will represent more than that, I think it is fair that client and provider should equally share the risk, by demanding a 50% advance before getting started on it.

These magic words do the trick, if the prospect is above board.

After a few successful transactions, that limit may be gradually raised, and such sharing may be eventually lifted. Of course, if the proposal looks fishy enough, I might demand full payment in advance. On the other end, good clients whose payment practices suddenly start deteriorating may have that limit reinstated, and even lowered.

The Blue Board defines LWA as the Likelihood of Working Again for a specific client. Well I'd work for the crookedest and most bad-mouthed LWA=1 translation outsourcer if they owed me nothing, and made full non-reversible payment in advance. So this criterion is rather nebulous.

The brighter side is that good faith clients, when they learn about the limit, pay immediately half of the job, to get me started at once.

[Edited at 2017-01-22 10:36 GMT]


Hi José,

Thank you for taking the time to tell me your experience. These are very useful.
I haven't gave up yet.
I will keep these in mind in future.

Thanks again


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Caveat Emptor: busyness vs. fraud Jan 22, 2017

Santosh, there were so many little roaches, big red flags, missing homework, and so on that it's... sad.
Unfortunately, very many decent specialists are rather poor businessmen (running a risky commercial practice).

What about someone in a black cat-burglar costume would cheerfully offer you a "win-win" deal at your expense?

I think you should refer to a local anti-fraud agency/organization and inform other translators, yet still it's more about one's critical th
... See more
Santosh, there were so many little roaches, big red flags, missing homework, and so on that it's... sad.
Unfortunately, very many decent specialists are rather poor businessmen (running a risky commercial practice).

What about someone in a black cat-burglar costume would cheerfully offer you a "win-win" deal at your expense?

I think you should refer to a local anti-fraud agency/organization and inform other translators, yet still it's more about one's critical thinking and risk-management skills, because even fair players may go wrong or bad, alas.

Cheers

http://www.proz.com/about/translator-scam-alerts
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Mirko Mainardi
Mirko Mainardi  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:59
Member
English to Italian
Did it happen here? Jan 22, 2017

Santosh Rai wrote:

A person from India recently contacted me for document translation.


Did that happen here on ProZ?


 
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A person with gmail address and Skype id gave me works and disappeared when it was time to pay!







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