Someone asking for my services as a translator contacted me about a week ago by email.  He wanted a translation of a long article from Spanish into English.

 

He gave a German name, company name and address.  (When I became suspicious I could not find any of these details on the Web).

 

It was a large translation so I suggested I do it in parts.  I required payment by PayPal or cheque.

 

I did the first 5,000 words and emailed it back with an invoice, but he said he didn't have a PayPal account and he could not pay by cheque as someone had been using his cheques and it was under investigation.  He wanted me to open an account at the Bank of Scotland in order to arrange a bank transfer.

 

I started the ball rolling by contacting the Bank of Scotland and continuing the translation a little further.  However, my suspicions were further raised for a number of reasons.  He started bugging me about opening the bank account.  He rang me on my mobile phone - the number of which I had not given him.  He rang at all times of day and night.  He did not have a German accent.  He had an African accent. I asked him to stop ringing me and confine communication to email.  Also, as I continued my researching for the translation, I came across substantial parts of it already available on a legitimate website in Spanish and English versions.  I alerted him to this fact, and he made some excuse of not being aware of this and to carry on with the translation.  However, as a professional translator who adheres to codes of ethics, I was in no position to do so as this could be a potential copyright breach, and I was not prepared to carry on until the issues of payment and copyright were resolved.

 

The whole situation seems fishy to me.

 

I should be grateful if you could give me any advice.

 

 

So it seems you may be right, Nanna.  I have not been in any further contact with this man, and would prefer the authorities to deal with him now.

 

I did realise that there were scams going on out there, and have been alert to many of them, but I had never come across this type before.  I just hope that other translators will be even more on their guard now - I know I certainly will!