another scam? Thread poster: Virginia Navascues
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I got a rather weird request today: to translate 4 chapters of a book (not written by the proposed client), supposedly to be handed in to this person's (sex unknown) faculty within about 2 weeks. In the first place, who would want to pay a rather large amount of money for such a project? Secondly, is it some sort of plagiarism? Not that whatever faculty it were would be fooled. But why would a faculty even want such a translation? They usually trust their students to know enough English to be ab... See more I got a rather weird request today: to translate 4 chapters of a book (not written by the proposed client), supposedly to be handed in to this person's (sex unknown) faculty within about 2 weeks. In the first place, who would want to pay a rather large amount of money for such a project? Secondly, is it some sort of plagiarism? Not that whatever faculty it were would be fooled. But why would a faculty even want such a translation? They usually trust their students to know enough English to be able to read texts. I refused the job, unless the supposed client would identify him/herself properly, say how he/she expected to pay, and tell me why he/she needed this translation in the first place. I don't expect he/she will reply. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tony M
France
Local time: 12:12
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Similar requests in the past | Apr 20, 2012 |
Yes, I too have had similar requests, and assumed it must be a scam.
I refused to translate the texts (like you say, a seemingly odd extract from a larger work) until the person furnished written authorization from the book's publisher and the original author for the work to be translated.
Not surprisingly, I never heard back from them...
| | | | Tjasa Kuerpick 
Slovenia
Local time: 12:12
Member (2006)
Slovenian to German
+ ...
| Scams -urgent translation - no name or no contact data! | Apr 21, 2012 |
I have received several requests for urgent translations by email. None of these mails was signed properly, sometimes they are NEITHER SIGNED, THE NAME IS MISSING, or NO CONTACT DATA are added.
When asking these persons to send their full contact data, they usually reply: "It is very urgent, please help!" This mail again is not signed neither do they add any further contact data.
Such scam mailers usually use YAHOO or HOTMAIL mail addresses, or any other mail providers, wher... See more I have received several requests for urgent translations by email. None of these mails was signed properly, sometimes they are NEITHER SIGNED, THE NAME IS MISSING, or NO CONTACT DATA are added.
When asking these persons to send their full contact data, they usually reply: "It is very urgent, please help!" This mail again is not signed neither do they add any further contact data.
Such scam mailers usually use YAHOO or HOTMAIL mail addresses, or any other mail providers, where you can quickly create new mail addresses.
When telling them that prepayment is required over wire transfer or PayPal, and you need their full contact data for this purpose, they stop answering immediately.
+ Be polite, and ask again for contact data, it could happen that the person was in hurry, and has forgotten to sign the mail. If they answer, and still refuse to add their Name or contact date, an Alarm should ring!
+ BE CAREFUL IN SUCH CASES! DO NOT LET THEM FOOL YOU.
+ NEVER SEND OR START A TRANSLATION FOR A PERSON YOU HAVE NO NAME AND NO FULL CONTACT DATA, OR WHOM YOU CANNOT CHECK!
+ ASK FOR PREPAYMENT, IF YOU ARE SCEPTIC!
[Edited at 2012-04-21 02:24 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 12:12
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Not necessarily a scam | Apr 21, 2012 |
Virginia Navascues wrote:
I got a rather weird request today: to translate 4 chapters of a book (not written by the proposed client), supposedly to be handed in to this person's (sex unknown) faculty within about 2 weeks. ]
I've had such requests in the past (from real people) who are students at a university in a language that is not their native language. They underestimate the cost of translation. They believe that having a text book in their language would help them master the subject material quicker.
I don't think it is unethical (or not fair usage) to do this, although I do think the client should be made aware of the facts of his request. The translation is going to take much longer than he thinks, and it will be a lot, lot more expensive (give him a final figure, not a per-word figure), and unless you are an expect in the field of his studies, the translation may contain incorrect terminology that won't help.
In the first place, who would want to pay a rather large amount of money for such a project? Secondly, is it some sort of plagiarism? Not that whatever faculty it were would be fooled. But why would a faculty even want such a translation? They usually trust their students to know enough English to be able to read texts.
The person at the faculty probably does not realise how much the translation would cost.
I don't think we should stereotype about whether students would or would not understand the language of the text book -- if the faculty determined that the language is an issue, then it would make sense for them to consider translating the book as a viable option.
Both students and university staff often underestimate the language skills necessary for tertiary studies, if the text books are not in the students' primarly language.
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