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Likely "prepayment" scam (source material was published several years ago)
Thread poster: jm2470
Christophe Delaunay
Christophe Delaunay  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 15:24
Spanish to French
+ ...
Some help Sep 21, 2018

Natalie wrote:

Hi all,

Please don't forget to post here not only email addresses but also the IP numbers: this would help to block scammers.

Thank you!


What is an IP Address?

Here’s an example of an IP Address: 93.147.104.251

For more information, have a look here:

https://www.sellsecure.com/blog/check-ip-address/
and here:
http://www.utrace.de/

First you need to look for the message source. Have a look there:

https://whatismyipaddress.com/trace-email

Once you've got your message source (headers), insert it in an email analizer to trace it.
You may get Rome as an answer or some town in Nigeria. You may not end up with anything useful because the scammer may know how to hide his IP. But it's still worth 10 minutes of your time.




[Edited at 2018-09-21 09:49 GMT]


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:24
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
It's easy to pretend for up to about two weeks Sep 21, 2018

jyuan_us wrote:

jm2470 wrote:
And I'm willing to payment for your service through a certified check or bank direct deposit but not via paypal because I've got some absurd experience about it in the past through Ebay so I had to shut it down, I hope you understand.


If they do pay you by "bank direct deposit", how will the scam work? As I understand it, when the payment is deposited to you bank account, it is your money and the scammer cannot take it back.


I've received some "wire transfer receipts" that got me puzzled about what kind of a bank that would be. Simple dot-matrix printouts that anyone still having a DMP in working condition could make. No signature, no stamp, no letterhead. And yet I received the money!

Checks and eCheck may delay payment by one entire week to clear, up to a couple days more if there is a local holiday. Wire transfer procedures may take up to another week, if the payment has to hop through a series of intermediary banks.

That's enough time for the payer to say they sent "too much" money, and ask for the excess to be refunded immediately by a cash withdrawal P2P system (Western Union, Moneygram). Gullible "desperado tranzlaters" might do it, if they have the money.

This is the only way I can see this scam working.


 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 15:24
English to German
In memoriam
I would like to know this too Sep 21, 2018

Lincoln Hui wrote:

jyuan_us wrote:

jm2470 wrote:
And I'm willing to payment for your service through a certified check or bank direct deposit but not via paypal because I've got some absurd experience about it in the past through Ebay so I had to shut it down, I hope you understand.


If they do pay you by "bank direct deposit", how will the scam work? As I understand it, when the payment is deposited to you bank account, it is your money and the scammer cannot take it back.

You do not want to enter into a contract with a scammer who can legitimately claim that they have fulfilled their obligation in good faith.


I do not understand your answer, Lincoln. Like jyuan_us, I also do not understand how the scam works when a payment is deposited to your bank account. I always considered direct deposits a safe payment method, i. e. a payment method where the payment cannot be revoked/cancelled once it appears on your bank statement (as opposed to a check that can bounce even weeks later). Maybe this is different in other banking systems, but in the European SEPA system of bank transfers, these transfers are irrevocable.


 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Part of working the scam, I guess. Sep 21, 2018

Kay-Viktor Stegemann wrote:

Lincoln Hui wrote:

jyuan_us wrote:

jm2470 wrote:
And I'm willing to payment for your service through a certified check or bank direct deposit but not via paypal because I've got some absurd experience about it in the past through Ebay so I had to shut it down, I hope you understand.


If they do pay you by "bank direct deposit", how will the scam work? As I understand it, when the payment is deposited to you bank account, it is your money and the scammer cannot take it back.

You do not want to enter into a contract with a scammer who can legitimately claim that they have fulfilled their obligation in good faith.


I do not understand your answer, Lincoln. Like jyuan_us, I also do not understand how the scam works when a payment is deposited to your bank account. I always considered direct deposits a safe payment method, i. e. a payment method where the payment cannot be revoked/cancelled once it appears on your bank statement (as opposed to a check that can bounce even weeks later). Maybe this is different in other banking systems, but in the European SEPA system of bank transfers, these transfers are irrevocable.


My guess is that this "agreement" to pay via bank transfer is simply a means of gaining the victim's trust. Afterward, the scammer will write something like "I tried to transfer the money, but there were problems, so I sent you a check instead. And oh, stupid me! I made a mistake and the amount of the check is $5000 more than we agreed. But I am generous, so I only ask that you send me $2500 back. Keep the other $2500 for your troubles...."

[Edited at 2018-09-21 13:39 GMT]


Yvonne Gallagher
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Liviu-Lee Roth
Solange Carmo
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 15:24
English to German
In memoriam
No checks, no trouble Sep 21, 2018

Robert Forstag wrote:
My guess is that this "agreement" to pay via bank transfer is simply a means of gaining the victim's trust. Afterward, the scammer will write something like "I tried to transfer the money, but there were problems, so I sent you a check instead. And oh, stupid me! I made a mistake and the amount of the check is $5000 more than we agreed. But I am generous, so I only ask that you send me $2500 back. Keep the other $2500 for your troubles...."

[Edited at 2018-09-21 13:39 GMT]


I see what you mean. I'm really wondering why anyone still uses a check in the 21st century and in the age of online banking. I believe that in my country any person offering to pay anything with a check would be considered a scammer from the start, except if you know this person well enough before. No one I know even owns a checkbook. Accepting a check would mean a 20 km drive to the next physical location of my bank in order to deposit it and have it credited to my bank account. Ridiculous.


Robert Forstag
 
Robert Forstag
Robert Forstag  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:24
Spanish to English
+ ...
Inertia Sep 21, 2018

Kay-Viktor Stegemann wrote:

Robert Forstag wrote:
My guess is that this "agreement" to pay via bank transfer is simply a means of gaining the victim's trust. Afterward, the scammer will write something like "I tried to transfer the money, but there were problems, so I sent you a check instead. And oh, stupid me! I made a mistake and the amount of the check is $5000 more than we agreed. But I am generous, so I only ask that you send me $2500 back. Keep the other $2500 for your troubles...."

[Edited at 2018-09-21 13:39 GMT]


I see what you mean. I'm really wondering why anyone still uses a check in the 21st century and in the age of online banking. I believe that in my country any person offering to pay anything with a check would be considered a scammer from the start, except if you know this person well enough before. No one I know even owns a checkbook. Accepting a check would mean a 20 km drive to the next physical location of my bank in order to deposit it and have it credited to my bank account. Ridiculous.


Checks are somewhat antiquated nowadays as a payment method by translation agencies in the United States as well. I think they continue to be used as a result of inertia on the part of certain agencies who cannot be bothered to transition to more convenient forms of payment. One very large global translation agency based in New York continues to pay by check (and assesses a hefty surcharge for bank transfers). Ridiculous.


 
Stela KP
Stela KP
United States
Local time: 10:24
English to Bulgarian
+ ...
Same Aaron...same scam Sep 29, 2018

I am also in the club with you guys... Same Aaron, same scenario, same letter and address... I am sick of these scammers.

Abdul Kader Khattab
 
Abdul Kader Khattab
Abdul Kader Khattab  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:24
Arabic to English
+ ...
I got the check! Oct 15, 2018

So i got the same issue here.
[email protected] sent me an email claiming he has the same document that he needs translated for a presentation and has to be ready in 6 weeks. at first i thought he was legit untill he said he can pay 50% upfront. Thats when I asked him for a ridiculous amount and he agreed to it.
2 weeks went by and nothing from him. last week he sent an email claiming he was busy with work and that he
... See more
So i got the same issue here.
[email protected] sent me an email claiming he has the same document that he needs translated for a presentation and has to be ready in 6 weeks. at first i thought he was legit untill he said he can pay 50% upfront. Thats when I asked him for a ridiculous amount and he agreed to it.
2 weeks went by and nothing from him. last week he sent an email claiming he was busy with work and that he will be going to mail the check in a couple of days.
today i got a check by mail, with an extra $1950 over the agreed upon down payment.
the check looks legit, the routing number leads to the same federal credit union that issued the check.
but the name and address on the check do not match the information the guy gave me when we corresponded.
I am NOT going to deposit the check, but should I contact the issuing bank? any advise would be highly appreciated.
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Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:24
German to English
Contact the financial institution Oct 16, 2018

Abdul Kader Khattab wrote:

(snip)
I am NOT going to deposit the check, but should I contact the issuing bank? any advise would be highly appreciated.


Make a copy of the check and send it to the credit union. Doubtless other people have been falsifying checks from that financial institution. If you still have the original e-mail, also enclose a copy of the **full header** information. All this may take a few minutes of your time, but perhaps it will put one scammer out of business – for a while at least.


Adam Warren
Mirko Mainardi
Abdul Kader Khattab
Liviu-Lee Roth
 
Kornelia Robertson
Kornelia Robertson  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:24
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
It's Mike Grey this time... Oct 18, 2018

Hi everyone,

I've received the same email from [email protected]. IP address: 198.55.125.210

He's looking for English to Hungarian social sciences, 33000 words, in 6 weeks. Here's the rest of the information:

"I'm ready to pay 50% upfront and make the full payment at the mid of the job. If you decide to take the job, you can draft the invoice to Mike Grey, 11 Beverly Ave, Floral Park, NY 11001. I have b
... See more
Hi everyone,

I've received the same email from [email protected]. IP address: 198.55.125.210

He's looking for English to Hungarian social sciences, 33000 words, in 6 weeks. Here's the rest of the information:

"I'm ready to pay 50% upfront and make the full payment at the mid of the job. If you decide to take the job, you can draft the invoice to Mike Grey, 11 Beverly Ave, Floral Park, NY 11001. I have budgeted about $1200 for the job but if you have any rate of your own in mind please let me know.

I will like to pay through a bank direct deposit or certified check but not via paypal because I've had some unpleasant experience about it in the past through Ebay so I had to shut it down, I hope you understand. So please include your bank account information (Bank name, address, account number, account) in the invoice and if you are willing to accept a certified check then please send your full name and house mailing address.

Please get back to me. Thanks once again.

Kind regards"
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Sophie Raimondo
Sophie Raimondo  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:24
English to French
+ ...
Literary translation scam Oct 22, 2018

Hi all,
Received one month apart, two very similar offers that look like scams to me.
Both offers were regarding a long literary translation - close to 50000 word. Both offered partial advance payment right away. Both praised me for being competitive, and immediately asked for my COMPLETE bank info. Both persons were not registered users and didn't seem to exist on any social medias. Both asked absolutely no questions as to my deadline and didn't answer when I asked them when they w
... See more
Hi all,
Received one month apart, two very similar offers that look like scams to me.
Both offers were regarding a long literary translation - close to 50000 word. Both offered partial advance payment right away. Both praised me for being competitive, and immediately asked for my COMPLETE bank info. Both persons were not registered users and didn't seem to exist on any social medias. Both asked absolutely no questions as to my deadline and didn't answer when I asked them when they wanted the translation back.
I said I would not share my bank info with non existing customers, so both offered to send a check, and seemed pretty eager to receive my full name and complete address.
I strongly suspected them to be a SCAM so at this point so I stopped replying.
I want to share my experience here to warn other translators. I don't need the work so it was easy for me to reflect on this and find it suspicious. But anyone who free lances will understand, when one has been looking for work for a while, offers like these can seem appealing.
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Sergio Ruffolo
Sergio Ruffolo  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:24
English to Spanish
+ ...
Document translation Oct 24, 2018

We receive these types of requests for document translation every few months. The last time they uploaded it to our website in Canada, https://jrlanguage.ca/ We have decided to let them spin their wheels. We receive the check and verify with the bank if it is authentic and with funds. If not, we will just let them spend time calling for the money until they get tired.

 
Michael Zierke
Michael Zierke  Identity Verified
United States
Member (2016)
German to English
+ ...
Same Email Nov 29, 2018

I received the same email from "Aaron Job HR" (great last name!) :

Thanks for getting back to me. I already attached the document so you can view for your perusal and send me your proforma invoice/charges. I'm willing to pay prepayment of 50% upfront because we've never worked together and I want to use the document for a project seminar and its not a copyright. In addition, the reference shouldn't be translated because I just need the body of the text. FYI, My name is Aaron Livings
... See more
I received the same email from "Aaron Job HR" (great last name!) :

Thanks for getting back to me. I already attached the document so you can view for your perusal and send me your proforma invoice/charges. I'm willing to pay prepayment of 50% upfront because we've never worked together and I want to use the document for a project seminar and its not a copyright. In addition, the reference shouldn't be translated because I just need the body of the text. FYI, My name is Aaron Livingstone, 11 Beverly Ave, Floral Park, NY 11001 to draft the invoice. And I'm willing to make payment for your service through a certified check or bank direct deposit but not via paypal because I've got some absurd experience about it in the past through Ebay so I had to shut it down, I hope you understand. I'm ready to pay 50% upfront and make the full payment at the mid of the job. Please get back to me. Thanks once again.
Aaron.
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Frank Wong
Frank Wong  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:24
Chinese to English
+ ...
they are everywhere Nov 29, 2018

I received a similar scam, 50% of the payment upfront too.

 
B D Finch
B D Finch  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 15:24
French to English
+ ...
@jyuan Nov 29, 2018

jyuan_us wrote:

If they do pay you by "bank direct deposit", how will the scam work? As I understand it, when the payment is deposited to you bank account, it is your money and the scammer cannot take it back.


The scammer cannot take the money back, but you will find that the money apparently deposited into your account mysteriously disappears, because it never existed in the first place. However, the refund of the alleged overpayment that you were conned into paying would be real money of which you were defrauded.

[Edited at 2018-11-29 17:14 GMT]


 
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Likely "prepayment" scam (source material was published several years ago)







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