| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Possible scam? Thread poster: marianemeloni
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I have been contacted by this “independent American publishing company” through a translators page. They claim to have a huge project of translation and narration of audiobooks. They offer $500 per script and offer a contract of 10 scripts per month, which would be $5000 per month that can be paid via bank transfer or PayPal.
So far they didn’t ask for any personal info. They have a website, the IP address of the email is from the US. I would have to buy some equipment, by the... See more I have been contacted by this “independent American publishing company” through a translators page. They claim to have a huge project of translation and narration of audiobooks. They offer $500 per script and offer a contract of 10 scripts per month, which would be $5000 per month that can be paid via bank transfer or PayPal.
So far they didn’t ask for any personal info. They have a website, the IP address of the email is from the US. I would have to buy some equipment, by they didn’t ask me to do it from specific shops - I can buy from amazon, for example.
I can’t be sure if this is a legit job offer or a scam! Does anyone have received any similar offer? ▲ Collapse
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They wrote from a Gmail address, right? Not the domain that matches that website. So it wasn't the website owner that contacted you but scammers. They target new users.
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Thomas T. Frost wrote:
They wrote from a Gmail address, right? Not the domain that matches that website. So it wasn't the website owner that contacted you but scammers. They target new users.
No, it’s not gmail. the email matches the company website. It’s like: [email protected]
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 00:55
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
If they want your services, then why are you being asked to buy equipment? Most probably because they want to make some money from trusting - or naive - translators. Stay clear... or pay and never receive any jobs.
[Edited at 2022-09-07 14:27 GMT]
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 18:55
German to English
| Unsolicited offer = probable scam | Sep 7, 2022 |
Every new translator should consider why any reputable potential client would initiate contact when there are so many available experienced translators.
Asking you to purchase equipment is in itself outrageous. Some agencies will request that you use a specific software product, and if they really want your services in many cases will provide you with a temporary license.
Many – if not most – would welcome a steady income of $5000/month, but as others have pointed ... See more Every new translator should consider why any reputable potential client would initiate contact when there are so many available experienced translators.
Asking you to purchase equipment is in itself outrageous. Some agencies will request that you use a specific software product, and if they really want your services in many cases will provide you with a temporary license.
Many – if not most – would welcome a steady income of $5000/month, but as others have pointed out, the offer is bogus. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mariana Pereira
Portugal
Local time: 23:55
Member (2020)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
That is 100% a scam. Do not fall for it! I know other colleagues who fell for that scam, bought the equipment and never heard from the "company" again. A truthful company would never ask you to pay in order to work.
| | | | Joakim Braun
Sweden
Local time: 00:55
German to Swedish
+ ...
| Silly payment details | Sep 7, 2022 |
marianemeloni wrote:
(...) that can be paid via bank transfer or PayPal.
Show me any other industry where B2B outsourcers advertise "very important payment details" like that.
!!!WE CAN PAY BY BANK TRANSFER!!! $$$$
[Bearbeitet am 2022-09-07 21:48 GMT]
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 18:55
Japanese to English
+ ...
| Possible scam? | Sep 7, 2022 |
Anytime a company requires you to buy equipment, you know it is a scam.
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| Possible scam? | Sep 8, 2022 |
Besides the issue of having to buy equipment, why on Earth would an “independent American publishing company” offer a USD5,000 monthly contract without asking for any “personal info”?
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
*Probably* a scam.
That said, if they tell you that you must own one of several market leader microphones or software suites (and Google shows that they actually ARE recognized market leaders), then that part probably isn't the scam.
If they tell you to obtain something that has 5-15 reviews on Amazon, however...
ALSO, imho, a narrated audiobook should be worth ~$1,500 - 2,000 each (just the recording) + $3,000 - 10,000+ for the text translation.
... See more *Probably* a scam.
That said, if they tell you that you must own one of several market leader microphones or software suites (and Google shows that they actually ARE recognized market leaders), then that part probably isn't the scam.
If they tell you to obtain something that has 5-15 reviews on Amazon, however...
ALSO, imho, a narrated audiobook should be worth ~$1,500 - 2,000 each (just the recording) + $3,000 - 10,000+ for the text translation.
And recruiting the same person to translate and narrate is a classic sign of a dodgy client.
[Edited at 2022-09-08 13:40 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | William Hepner
United States
Local time: 18:55
Member (2022)
Spanish to English
| Sketchy indeed... | Sep 9, 2022 |
The fact that they're asking you to buy equipment without asking you for any personal data is a red flag, of course, so tread carefully. Tons of sharks out there, and the Internet just seems to encourage them.
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:55
Serbian to English
+ ...
| I was about to suggest one | Sep 10, 2022 |
plausible explanation, a kind of "half-scam", but finally decided against giving free recipes to wannabe penny pinchers and outright scammers.
This particular offer is definitely 100% pure unadulterated nonsense for sure.
@ marianemeloni: what kind of "due diligence" lead you to talk of "the company's website" ???
Namely, the website for "companypublishing.com" contains nothing except a redirection to a domain name resale site, which claims the domain name ... See more plausible explanation, a kind of "half-scam", but finally decided against giving free recipes to wannabe penny pinchers and outright scammers.
This particular offer is definitely 100% pure unadulterated nonsense for sure.
@ marianemeloni: what kind of "due diligence" lead you to talk of "the company's website" ???
Namely, the website for "companypublishing.com" contains nothing except a redirection to a domain name resale site, which claims the domain name was recently bought.
https://www.buydomains.com/lander/companypublishing.com
If practical terms: if you send emails to [email protected] there is ***no guarantee whatsoever*** that they will lend at the (possibly perfectly legitimate) company that registered that domain name in 2007.
Https://www.whois.com/whois/companypublishing.com
[Edited at 2022-09-10 21:53 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Fake website | Sep 11, 2022 |
I asked Mariane for the details to enable me to look into it.
As no identified legal entity is associated with the website in question, we can mention the details without breaching the forum rule against discussing named outsourcers.
The website is siplespublishing.com.
The site's About page contains the following photo, which is fro... See more
| | | | AnnaSCHTR
United States
Local time: 17:55
English to Czech
+ ...
| several similar scams | Sep 11, 2022 |
Looking at the similar post from a translator on LinkedIn, there are several similar scams currently circulating, one of the scammers calls itself "Online Chase..." (if it's not allowed to write the full name, this will give you a clue). And it is a scam, plain and simple. Starts with a test, leads to the request to buy "equipment".
[Edited at 2022-09-11 22:39 GMT]
| | | | | Scammers can be mentioned by name | Sep 11, 2022 |
AnnaSCHTR wrote:
Looking at the similar post from a translator on LinkedIn, there are several similar scams currently circulating, one of the scammers calls itself "Online Chase..." (if its not allowed to write the full name, this will give you a clue). And it is a scam, plain and simple. Starts with a test, leads to the request to buy "equipment".
The relevant forum rule says: 'Outsourcers may not be discussed specifically.'
A scammer is not an outsourcer, so identifying information can (and should) be posted.
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