Three tips for dealing with translation scammers

Posted On December 16, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Clients looking for expert translators always run the risk of stumbling into a scam. There are many fake translators who apply for translation work across the Internet and who promote their fake skills and qualifications by using profiles that they have stolen from real translators with just some of the details (like the email contacts) changed.

 

scamImage courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s difficult to eradicate the problem completely, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing real translators and clients looking for qualified, experienced translators can do to reduce the risks and alert others in the industry to the problem.

1. Keep up-to-date

The most important thing translators and clients looking for translators can do to avoid being scammed by scammers is to keep up-to-date with the different kinds of industry scams that they might fall prey to. One of the best ways of keeping up-to-date is to follow as many creditable translation blogs as possible.

Translation industry bloggers will always be amongst some of the first to highlight new translation scams to be aware of. The more contact clients and translators have with these blogs, the more difficult it becomes for scammers to continue tricking potential clients into paying for poor quality or non-existent translations.

2. Learn to recognize a typical scammer’s profile

Read up on the kind of profiles that scammers tend to assume. Find out as much information about the style of profile translation scammers adopt and revise these aspects of any application from interested translators that you receive before agreeing to send any work their way.

For example, most fake translators tend to operate using regular Hotmail or Gmail email accounts which they include on their fake CVs. An experienced, qualified and established translator is more likely to have an email account linked to a personal website or blog which he or she manages. The personal details of the real translator will always appear that much more professional. References will check out and they will be happy to contact you via Skype or other methods of online communication before committing to a translation project. They will also be able to provide lots of links to past translations and be happy to send you a test translated paragraph as part of the interview process.

3. Report scammers immediately

Reporting scammers is incredibly important. Even publishing a short post on the Internet, or making a reference to a bad experience with a fake translator via social media platforms, will help to control the problems which exist within the industry and reduce the power that translation scammers seem to have acquired.

In our last post, we describe in more detail how the scammers manage to get away with their crimes.

If more industry experts began publishing information, the translation industry would grow stronger against potential scammers and professionals working within the field could begin to stop worrying about identity fraud.

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One of the biggest translation industry scams affects both translators and clients

Posted On December 4, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Most translators work online on a freelance basis and get paid via the Internet. High levels of trust must exist between the translator and the client which, in most cases, can only be developed over time. Therefore, it’s necessary within the industry to take risks when embarking on a new working relationship.

The problem is that as most translator/client relationships are formed across the Internet, it’s relatively easy for translation scammers to take advantage, provide false information and apply for translation jobs using false identities. One such scam has been in operation for a while. Both translators and clients, if not yet fully informed, should take the time to look over the following information.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Scam? What scam?

The danger of this particular scam is that the scammers involved first begin by inviting professional translators to share their CVs with them under the premise of promoting the translators’ skills and helping them make contacts find more translation work.

Scammers write to translators, asking them if they would be happy to have changes made to their CVs to make them more attractive to prospective clients. They promise to put translators in contact with new clients and make improvements to their CVs at the same time. These scammers then steal the CVs they receive from professional translators, make changes to the names and addresses on those CVs and use them along with their fake identities to get work under the guise of professional translators.

How do the scammers manage to trick you?

In order to cover their tracks, most of the scammers change the name and surname on the CV they steal and ALL of them change the email address associated with that CV to a standard Gmail or Hotmail email.

The difficulty in spotting these scammers is that they go to a lot of trouble to create a fake identity within the translation industry by using their fake identities to join translation forums. Sometimes, they even steal the real names of other bonafide translators within the industry to develop these fake profiles and further develop a convincing charade. In the few cases when they do actually translate something using their fake profiles, they use Google translate and other such online tools.

Where’s the proof that these scams exist?

The identities of some of these scammers have been revealed online in an attempt to expose fraudulent activity in the industry and hopefully bring it to an end. One particular example comes from Adriana Aaron.

What are the concerns surrounding PayPal and other e-payment services?

To gauge a better idea of what an invoice from one of these scammers might look like, take a look at the invoice sent by Julia Korf (one of the scammers whose fake identity, or at least, one of them, has already been revealed). Scamming clients with fake translator identities is a lot easier to do when charging for those services via e-payment platforms, such as PayPal. Most PayPal accounts are managed using basic Gmail and Hotmail email addresses. There’s no need to have a professional identity/business setup to send payment requests and this means that scammers have an easier time when tricking clients into financing them for paid translation projects.

The list of PayPal email addresses here are those which have already been associated with known translation scammers. Stay clear of anyone claiming to be a translator using these email addresses and feel free to share other emails that can be added to the list if you have also been the victim of translation fraud.

 

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Ñoqui in Argentina is more than just an Italian meal

Posted On December 3, 2013By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Lunfardo, Spanish Language, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Ñoquis might be a popular Italian dish in Argentina, particularly in Buenos Aires, but its meaning goes a lot deeper than Italian gastronomy. In Argentine lunfardo, ñoquis is the word used to refer to someone who doesn’t work, but who still manages to claim a salary at the end of the month.

 

noqui-lunfardo

 

The lunfardo expression became a well-used phrase in Argentine during the 1970s and relates directly to a group of corrupt, Argentine, civil servants who, it was eventually revealed, had been continuing to claim their paychecks at the end of the month without actually having done any work.

When Mauricio Macri was first appointed Mayor of Buenos Aires in 2011, one of the first administrative decisions that his government saw through was to sack 2400 public employees in the city of Buenos Aires. Macri and his government claimed that the 2400 public employees forced out of employment were all “ñoquis” – that they had been continuing to receive their salaries at the end of the month without ever having showed up to do the jobs they were being paid for. Macri’s decision generated a huge conflict between his government and the city unions. Many strikes by public service employees were also organized as a result.

As well as being a popular lunfardo expression, eating ñoquis on the 29th of every month is a long-standing tradition in Argentina. The tradition dates back to the early 20th century when Italian immigrants in Argentina didn’t get paid until the end of the month. Food was normally very scarce by the 29th and ñoquis, made from just potato and flour, is full of starch and was one of the best ways for these Italian families to feed everyone on a budget.

The ñoquis eating tradition on the 29th of every month also relates to the notion of good luck, fortune and wealth. It’s customary to put money underneath each plate before eating to encourage wealth and prosperity in the future.

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Upcoming Translation Events in December

Posted On November 27, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  1 Comment

The year is ending but translators still have a month to take advantage of the translation conferences, webinars, workshops and events taking place all over the world!

2nd

Terminology Management, The Localization Institute, webinar

Localization at Startups, SF Globalization, San Francisco, California USA

4th

Translation Technology Showcase, TAUS, webinar

Understanding Machine Translation Customization – Benefits, Pitfalls and Best Practices, Asia Online, webinar

Événement virtuel français – Online Event.

5th

Effective Post-Editing in Human and Machine Translation Workflows, Globalization and Localization Association, webinar

5th-6th

Cultures and Literatures in Translation, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland

5th-7th

10th European Conference on Formal Description of Slavic Languages in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany

7th-9th

6th Language and Technology Conference, Adam Mickiewicz University, ELRA, FlaReNet, META-NET, Poznan, Poland

9th-13th

IEEE GLOBECOM 2013, IEEE Communications Society, Atlanta, Georgia USA

10th

Lawyer-Linguist virtual event 2013

10th-11th

Game QA & Localization 2013, IQPC, San Francisco, California USA

11th-15th

International Conference on Language and Translation, Association of Asian Translation Industry, Expertrans. Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia

14th

Evento regional de ProZ.com en Madrid

18th-20th

Vocab@Vic 2013 at the University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

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Acquiring experience as a freelance translator at the start of your career

Posted On November 20, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Like any career, the path of the freelance translator has its pros and cons. Working from home on a flexible timetable is definitely a plus, but living without a fixed, monthly wage for some people is a frightening prospect.

Building up clients in the freelance translating industry takes time and it is highly unrealistic to expect to be earning the top rates when you’re just starting out. Reputation is everything in this business and the following tips are designed to help new freelance translators gain the necessary experience required to begin growing their client base.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Specialize in one area

One of the best ways of acquiring experience as a freelance translator is to specialize in one area. It’s best if you select an area in which you already have a lot of training or knowledge. For instance, if your degree happens to be in Engineering, it’s a good idea to focus on finding interested clients in that industry. Good translation requires more than a detailed knowledge of two languages. It also requires an in-depth knowledge of the industry in which your clients work. Avoid translating for clients who work in industries you know little or nothing about, as it will shine through in the translations that you produce.

2. Volunteer… Work for free

Working for free is a must when starting your career as a freelance translator. Be prepared to devote at least a couple of months to working for free for a few, if not all, of your clients. Reputation is everything in this business and it’s better in the long-run to volunteer for big brand names within the industry than to opt for small paying jobs for small-time clients. Volunteering will pay-off in the end. Your CV will be more convincing and the experience you gain from the translating work you do will be worth the financial risk.

3. Stick to your mother-tongue

Focus on getting experience in translating from your second language to your native language. You are more likely to build-up a more enjoyable and more profitable career in freelance translation when working in your mother-tongue. Avoid wasting time trying to translate in other languages, unless you happen to be bilingual/multilingual from birth.

4. Get advice, stay in touch, broaden your horizons

Network with other translators in the industry as much as possible. Get involved in freelance translation events/seminars and read-up on new trends in the industry on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Freelance translators in direct competition with you might not want to give away their secrets, but those who translate in other industries will probably be open to sharing some of the experiences with you. This kind of advice will be invaluable to you in terms of getting your foot on the ladder and getting experience at the start of your career. Apply to all the agencies that deal with translators in your industry too. Leave no stone untouched. Be ferocious in your approach to networking. It will be one of your most profitable activities.

5. Offer services that experienced translators don’t

Be prepared to do what experienced translators won’t do anymore at the beginning of your career. This will definitely bring you more opportunities to gain invaluable experience to note down on your CV. You will make great contacts by offering extra services too. Services can be anything from working on weekends, offering 12-hour turn-arounds, throwing in one free translation for every 10 paid translations, etc. Be as creative as you can.

6. Take a course in Marketing

Working as a freelance translator means working for yourself and this means marketing yourself, your skills and your services. Marketing is a fast-moving industry, perhaps one of the fastest out there. New approaches are being developed all the time. It’s a really good idea to take a short course in Marketing at the start of your career in order to find the most productive ways of approaching your search for valuable translating experience. Without a solid Marketing Plan, you might end up wasting a lot of valuable time.

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Origin of “It Takes Two to Tango”

Posted On November 8, 2013By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, The origin of.../  No Comments

The tango is a popular dance in which two partners move in relation to each other. Tango is always danced in couples, and both parts are essential.  “It takes two to tango” is a common idiomatic expression inspired in this intrinsic partnership and is used to describe a situation in which more than one person is paired in an active and complex related manner, with positive and negative connotations.

The phrase “It takes two to tango” first appeared in the song Takes Two To Tango that Al Hoffman and Dick Manning composed in 1952. However, the expression reached top popularity thirty years later, when US President Ronald Reagan used it during a news conference. Since then, “it takes two to tango” expression has made it to the headlines several times.

Cooperation

This common expression can be used to suggest that the active cooperation of two parties is required in some enterprise in order to succeed or accomplish the objectives.

In the same way, it can also be used to refer to the fact that agreements or consensual bargains require both parties to assent in order to be successful.

Quarreling Also Takes Two

Disputes and discussions also need the participation of two parties. Thus, in situations in which both partners don’t agree upon something, we can also say “it takes two to tango”.

 

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Upcoming Translation Events in November

Posted On October 22, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

November will definitely be an interesting and busy month for translators. Have a look at all the translation related events that will take place everywhere in the world this month!

4th

Workshop on Translation Project Management (Loctimizen, Wiesbaden, Germany)

The workshop aims to enhance practical knowledge of translation and localization project management

5th

Predictions for the Localization Industry in 2014 and Beyond [Webinar]

Event organized by Net Translator. The web panel is intended for localization and globalization industry managers.

6th-8th

TCWorld2013 –Tekom (Wiesbaden, Germany)

The tcworld conference offers sessions that cover localization topics.

6th-9th

54th ATA Conference (San Antonio, Texas, US)

6th

Developing A Translation-Ready Source Copy [Webinar]

Event organized by The Localization Institute. The webinar will answer cover the going global dilemma of whether to translate or to re-write; a short case study to demonstrate transcreation; identifying 11 speed-bumps in the English copy that will slow down a project and puzzle a translator; and the best practices in writing translation-ready copy.

9th

Portsmouth Translation Conference: Translation and Crime (Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK)

The conference aims to bring the different facets of translation and crime together in an interdisciplinary one-day conference.

13th

Editing For Localization [Webinar]

Event organized by The Localization Institute. If an error costs $50 US to fix in the source, multiply that by the number of languages and the number of errors. This session will cover editing best practices, including style guides and templates, and provide practical tips for improving content.

14th, 21st, 28th

Spanish-English Legal Terminology [Webinar]

During this three-part online workshop, participants will learn common English translations for a variety of Spanish legal terms, enabling them to complete a comprehensive glossary.

15th-17th

Expolingua: 26th International Fair for Language and Cultures (Berlin, Germany).

The fair attracts school and university students, trainees and those wishing to pursue language-related further education, as well as teachers, professors, translators, interpreters and others with an interest in languages and culture.

15th

European Day of Multilingual Blogging

EMBD2013 gives bloggers a chance to highlight the multilingual dimension of the web. The basic idea is to feature one or more languages on your blog that you don’t usually use.

20th

The Convergence Era: Translation As An Utility [Webinar]

Event organized by The Content Wrangler, TAUS. It will deal with the challenges and opportunities for every content publishing company and every professional service supplier in this new environment of ubiquitously available translation

21st-22nd

Nordic Translation Industry Forum (Stockholm, Sweden)

The focus of the program will be around integration, inter-operability, implementations and opportunities thereof – taking the translation industry to the next level.

22nd

Think! India (Delhi, India)

The event will spotlight regional or sector-specific issues related to the language enterprise, and will focus on the rapidly expanding Indian language services market.

22nd-24th

2013 Annual Convention and World Language Expo. (Orlando, Florida, US)

23rd

Annual Conference on Translation and Interpreting Quality (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

28th-29th-30th

GLoCALL 2013 (De Nang, Vietnam)

The Globalization and Localization in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (GLoCALL) conference aims to share knowledge, research and experience on how to use computer technology to make language learning more effective.

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Translation Myths and the Reality

Posted On October 18, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

Translators often have to deal with many misconceptions regarding their profession. Non-translators who have little or no contact with the translation business often assume things about translation that are not true. What matters is not what other people think but how happy you are with your profession. However, we can’t help but care, at least a little, how others see us and it is nice to be recognized for our skills and the work we do. Our intention is to recognize and dispel some of the myths and misconceptions about translation.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Myth: Computers can translate

Reality: Now that nearly everyone has easy access to instantaneous translation pages, such as Google Translate and the many other translation resources available on the internet, some people think that translation is simply a matter of copying, pasting and hitting click. As any legal, medical, literary or technical translator knows, there is a lot more to it than that! Computers can assist with basic and even more complex translation. However, no computer program, no matter how sophisticated it is, can replace a skilled human translator. Many words or word combinations can be translated in a number of different ways. A translator has to make decisions so that the translated text conveys the meaning of the original, and that it makes sense and flows well in the target language.

Myth: Anyone who speaks more than one language can translate

Reality: Obviously, in order to translate between two languages, one must have an in-depth understanding of both of them. If you understand and can communicate fluently in more than one language, you are certainly capable of becoming a translator, just as anyone with a good understanding of one language is capable of writing. But translating is a skill which must be learned through experience and studying. Like any skilled professional, a translator will grow and develop over time.

Myth: With so many bilingual people, there isn’t much demand for translation

Reality: Globalization and increasing international business, that is often multilingual, has actually increased the need for quality translations. There is definite need for quality, professional linguistic services. The business of translating is evolving and will continue to do so, but the need is not going away.

Myth: Only an expert in a field is capable of producing a translation in the field

Reality: In order to produce a quality translation, it is important to have a thorough understanding, not only of the source and target languages, but also of the language of the subject. For example, if you are going to translate a legal text, you need to have a solid understanding of legal language in both the source and target languages. Translators write. You need to understand the subject on which you are writing. You do not, however, need to be a lawyer, doctor, banker, etc. What you need is to understand the language of the field.

Although you may not be able to change the preconceived notions of other people, when you know a few facts about your profession, you are able to explain what you do and not be bothered by people who don’t really understand.

 

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Time Management for Freelancers

Posted On October 14, 2013By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/  No Comments

Time management can be one of the hardest parts of freelancing. Working as a freelance translator can allow you to have a fulfilling career while maintaining your flexibility, setting your own schedule and making your own rules. There is freedom and satisfaction in being your own boss and being able to choose what work you accept, and what you do not. However, in order to make your freelance career take off and stay in flight, you will need to learn how to manage your time and stay focused on what you want to accomplish.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Set up Goals

This may sound obvious but you need to have some clear goals. That means both long-term and short-term goals. Having a big goal, that gets you excited when you think about it, provides a constant source of motivation. Having smaller goals gives you a sense of accomplishment every time you complete them. Fortunately, you get to set your own priorities and decide what you want to accomplish. A goal may be financial such as earning a certain amount of money every month or being able to afford to travel somewhere exciting or buy something you really want. A goal can also be professional such as translating a certain number of words every week or completing a course or certification. Having goals also helps hold you be accountable. It helps you see what you want to accomplish and track your progress.

Eliminate distractions

Eliminating distractions is an important part of taking control of your time and productivity. We all know how easy it is to spend hours on Facebook or Twitter. If you find that you simply cannot avoid them while doing your work, you might need to forbid yourself from accessing those sites when you are supposed to be working. Answering emails, chatting online and answering irrelevant calls are also things that can pull you away from your work. Give yourself a set time each day or week for email, calls and even social networking if you need it. But keep them separate and don’t let all those distracters interfere with what you know you need to accomplish.

Follow a schedule

Stick to a schedule or some sort of schedule. One of the perks of freelancing is that you can set your own schedule. You choose when you want to work. But, if you want to accomplish anything, you still have to work! Instead of just assuming that you’ll have plenty of time to get it all done, define and designate time just for working. You are allowed to change your schedule around when need be, but define a time, or times, of day when the “normal” thing to be doing is working. And, also be sure to designate times for everything else like grocery shopping, exercise, being social, relaxing and sleeping. It may sound silly but when no one is obligating you to adhere to a schedule, as with a 9 to 5 job, you have to design your own structure.

Stay healthy

Make your lifestyle healthy. If you are well-rested, get plenty of exercise and eat right, you will have more energy. If you know how to properly focus that energy, it will show in your work. What you are looking for is a healthy balance to help you realize your potential and give your best.

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New Campagin for English Speakers: Learn 1,000 words of another language

Posted On October 3, 2013By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/  No Comments

English is widely recognized as, if not the most important language, at least one of the most important languages in the world. As such, there is a great interest in learning it. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are always in demand and non-native speakers are usually eager to find ways to improve their English. Unfortunately, native English-speakers do not often have the same enthusiasm for learning other languages. Perhaps the popularity and importance that the English language enjoys makes English-speakers feel that they don’t need to speak any other language. It isn’t surprising that the British, as well as other English-speakers, have earned a reputation of being lazy with respect to linguistic ability.

1000words

As a result, in Great Britain, a campaign has recently developed with the intention of opening Brits’ minds and ears to different languages. The “Speak to the Future” campaign encourages everyone to learn at least 1,000 words of another language. The 1,000 word figure was set because that is enough words to have a simple conversation yet it is a realistic and attainable goal for anyone.

The effort is an attempt to improve, not only the language abilities of Great Britain’s people, but also their cultural awareness and adaptability. Learning a language opens one’s eyes to the culture of the people who speak it. The British have suffered the reputation of being “lazy” when it comes to learning and speaking different languages. And not speaking different languages has probably limited their abilities to relate to different cultures. The campaign aims to prove that the people of Great Britain are ready to engage with the rest of the world and with the world’s many languages and cultures.

Great Britain isn’t the only place that is infamously known for its limited linguistic scope. The United States suffers a similar reputation because many Americans cringe at the sound of languages that are not English. There is evidence that this attitude may be changing, thanks to globalization. More and more, people in first world, English-speaking countries are realizing that the world is much greater than the limits of their national boundaries. As a result, they are seeing the importance of being able to communicate in different languages.

The movement is not without some resistance. Not everyone wants to learn a new language. As we referred to in a previous post, learning a language requires you to go out of your comfort zone. Doing so is necessary for growth and development, but many would prefer to not deviate from what is comfortable.

The popularity of the English language, throughout the word, has given native English-speakers a great excuse not to leave their linguistic comfort zone. The bad news is that it has limited them and prevented them from learning things that could enrich their lives. Efforts, such as this recent campaign in the UK, attempt to expand the horizons of native English-speakers who are otherwise comfortably sheltered from languages that could open wonderful new doors for them.

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