![]() ![]() In fact, it takes days to weeks for a check to arrive at the payer’s bank, where the check is finally cleared or rejected. This scam exploits the fact that the payment processor (the payee’s bank) doesn’t verify the authenticity of the check at the time of deposit. ![]() To add insult to injury, not only has the translator/interpreter lost the money he or she wired to the fake client, but they are also stuck with a bank fee for the bounced check. The unsuspecting translator/interpreter wires the extra money to the fake client and never hears from them again. The fake client then contacts the translator/interpreter about the error, explaining that it would be too complicated to send another check for the correct amount and asks the person being scammed to wire the overpaid amount from the first check back to them. The fake client sends a check in advance for an amount that is quite a bit larger than the quoted price. So far, so good, but then the trouble begins. The unsuspecting translator/interpreter sends a quote to the ostensive client, and the client accepts the terms. The scammer pretends to be a client in need of language services. How It Works: These check scams proceed according to the following pattern. (See sidebar on page 14.) Fake Check Scams For more information on what to watch out for, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Consumers League maintain extensive lists of the most common fraud schemes. Of course, there are many other devious schemes out there, including email phishing attempts. I’ll also cover new and sophisticated variants of these old schemes and the steps you can take to protect against them. I’ll summarize each of these schemes here along with tips on how to recognize them before getting defrauded. Impersonation of reputable translators by the scammer, also known as CV theft. ![]() Nonpayment for services rendered, possibly ordered under a false name and/or while impersonating a reputable client.Variants of the age-old Nigerian check scam, tailored to the language industry.The following schemes are the most common in the language sector: This is a continuation and an update of two previous articles that appeared in the October 2014 edition of The ATA Chronicle 2 and in the Spring 2017 edition of Translorial, 3 the journal of the Northern California Translators Association (the latter co-authored with Peg Flynn). Merriam-Webster defines “scam” as “an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value.” 1 Below you will find a summary of some of the dishonest methods that are unfortunately on the rise in the language industry and other sectors. Learn about the three most common types of fraudulent schemes in the language industry, along with steps to protect against them. Scams are on the rise in online commerce. ![]()
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