Probable scam 스레드 게시자: Robert Forstag
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Just received the following email:
A ProZ.com user visited your ProZ.com profile and sent the following message.
Hi,
We are currently setting up Amway account and about to
receive our first project in April. I am reaching out to you
in advance to check
on your availability and cost. Our client is going to
generate a lot of work. We can expect potential scope of
work for
transcreation/conceptualisation briefed in progressively... See more Just received the following email:
A ProZ.com user visited your ProZ.com profile and sent the following message.
Hi,
We are currently setting up Amway account and about to
receive our first project in April. I am reaching out to you
in advance to check
on your availability and cost. Our client is going to
generate a lot of work. We can expect potential scope of
work for
transcreation/conceptualisation briefed in progressively
this year.
We are looking for freelance local writers who are able to
commit in April. If this is something of interest, please
share your portfolio
together with your rates for conceptualisation,
transcreation, translation, proofreading and artwork QC
jobs.
Thanks and look forward to hear from you soon.
*******
Lousy English, generic language, boiler-plate text, no proper ID of sender, mention of large company, promise held out of abundant and profitable work, vageness and confusion regarding work involved and required qualifications (why “freelance local writers”?).
Smells like a scam to me.
[Edited at 2019-03-27 16:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | That is so vague. | Mar 27, 2019 |
'We are currently setting up Amway account (???) and about to
receive our first project in April. I am reaching out to you
in advance to check
on your availability and cost. Our client is going to
generate a lot of work. (fields) We can expect potential scope (is it a lot of work or potential) of
work for
transcreation/conceptualisation briefed in progressively
this year.
We are looking for freelance local writers (you are right!) who are... See more 'We are currently setting up Amway account (???) and about to
receive our first project in April. I am reaching out to you
in advance to check
on your availability and cost. Our client is going to
generate a lot of work. (fields) We can expect potential scope (is it a lot of work or potential) of
work for
transcreation/conceptualisation briefed in progressively
this year.
We are looking for freelance local writers (you are right!) who are able to
commit in April. If this is something of interest, please
share your portfolio
together with your rates for conceptualisation,
transcreation, translation, proofreading and artwork QC
jobs.' ▲ Collapse
| | | | | How about superultraextraterrestrialization?! | Mar 28, 2019 |
I thought every text has already been conceptualized but maybe I'm old fashioned.
Robert Forstag wrote:
Smells like a scam to me.
[Edited at 2019-03-27 16:22 GMT]
As to the email itself: "Proz user" means they have profile...? So you know who they are? If not, that would be one weird thing. Do you see their address?
Otherwise it looks like a normal email to me and if there's the company name somewhere and it wasn't sent from a gmail address, I'd answer it.
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Katarzyna Slowikova wrote:
I thought every text has already been conceptualized but maybe I'm old fashioned.
Robert Forstag wrote:
Smells like a scam to me.
[Edited at 2019-03-27 16:22 GMT]
As to the email itself: "Proz user" means they have profile...? So you know who they are? If not, that would be one weird thing. Do you see their address?
Otherwise it looks like a normal email to me and if there's the company name somewhere and it wasn't sent from a gmail address, I'd answer it.
Nope. No email address was indicated, and the following note was part of the preface:
[NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]
I think I would have noticed if there were a company name and email in the message....
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| Isn't it a start-up? Do they know about ordering translations, etc? | Mar 28, 2019 |
Robert Forstag wrote:
We are currently setting up Amway account and about to
receive our first project in April.
According to Wikipedia, Amway is one of those multi-level marketing companies that people become a part of, thinking they're going to make big bucks.
We are looking for freelance local writers who are able to
commit in April. If this is something of interest, please
share your portfolio
together with your rates for conceptualisation,
transcreation, translation, proofreading and artwork QC
jobs.
Lousy English, generic language, boiler-plate text, no proper ID of sender, mention of large company, promise held out of abundant and profitable work, vageness and confusion regarding work involved and required qualifications (why “freelance local writers”?).
Why "freelance local writers"? Well, they're looking for people who can write in some language (theirs, presumably - local to them) as well as English, but not just translators. So I imagine the words seemed logical to them. As for lousy English, isn't that one reason people need translators? People the world over get by in English. Power to them! Fortunately, some of them realise that "getting by" isn't good enough for marketing, and come to professional writers/translators, thereby keeping us in business  .
I'm certainly not saying this isn't a scam - it could be. And I'd run a mile from it even if it isn't, personally. I won't have anything to do with that sort of company, but others clearly think they're okay. We all make our choices.
All I'm saying is that there isn't anything there that screams SCAM to me. Many of my best clients have initially written to me in very poor English rather than French, especially private individuals, professionals, and start-ups. I think they feel it's up to them to make an effort, whereas the head of the marketing department of an established company will expect us to make the effort.
| | | | | I don't have a title for my reply | Mar 28, 2019 |
Robert Forstag wrote:]
Nope. No email address was indicated, and the following note was part of the preface:
[NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]
I think I would have noticed if there were a company name and email in the message....
Yes, but you wouldn't have posted it.
If there's no indication as to where or from whom the email comes from, that's indeed very strange.
I think I have seen in some other thread somebody mentioning that you can see the sender's address, if you click on answer... does that work? If not, there should surely be an IP somewhere? If it's in Nigeria or ME, you're clear.
You can always just ask "who are you" as an answer... I think I'd do this, just out of curiosity. I still think the chance of it being genuine is over 50%... or if it's a scam, it's not of the usual kind (i.e. overpayment).
| | | | | Reply to Sheila | Mar 28, 2019 |
It is possible that the introductory message simply reflects poor organization and a lack of professionalism rather than a scam. Even in broken English, it would be possible to provide the essential information that is missing....
If taken at face value, one might assume that what is being sought are translators from English to other languages (i.e., given that Amway is a US-based company). But these other languages are nowhere mentioned.
Perhaps this very generic and ... See more It is possible that the introductory message simply reflects poor organization and a lack of professionalism rather than a scam. Even in broken English, it would be possible to provide the essential information that is missing....
If taken at face value, one might assume that what is being sought are translators from English to other languages (i.e., given that Amway is a US-based company). But these other languages are nowhere mentioned.
Perhaps this very generic and confusing message was just mass-mailed to thousands of translators listed in the proz.com directory, irrespective of the language pairs that they work in.
And again, no mention of the company or entity seeking the service.
So maybe not a scam, but certainly confusing and unhelpful, and likely sent out to many translators who do not work in the language pairs required for the service. So unprofessional as well. ▲ Collapse
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