Scams - are there guidelines for translators? Thread poster: Heinrich Pesch
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Heinrich Pesch 
Finland
Local time: 00:50
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
I believe this has not been discussed so far in the fora.
You all know these scam e-mails of the Nigerian type. Originally they were in English, but more and more these scammers are shifting to using the native language of the receiving person.
So the scammers probably use human translators. So I started to wonder if translator organisations provide already guidelines on how to deal with clients that wish to translate texts that can be regarded as scam.
If ... See more I believe this has not been discussed so far in the fora.
You all know these scam e-mails of the Nigerian type. Originally they were in English, but more and more these scammers are shifting to using the native language of the receiving person.
So the scammers probably use human translators. So I started to wonder if translator organisations provide already guidelines on how to deal with clients that wish to translate texts that can be regarded as scam.
If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff.
Is it advisable to contact the police? Local police will not have interest in the matter. Is there an international body that investigates scam? How about translator ethics, can we report on our clients?
Hope you understand what I driving at. I'm just curious.
Regards
Heinrich ▲ Collapse
| | | | David Wright
Austria
Local time: 23:50
German to English
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| Local police | Nov 17, 2010 |
Why should they not be interested? Scams are international so the police are likely to be itnerested in any coutry (unless they are the source of the scam themselves of course)
| | | | | Check the Wiki and improve if needed | Nov 17, 2010 |
Hi Heinrich. I reckon you could for instance check Proz.com's Wiki about the matter and add and improve as you see fit.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 23:50
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| It has been discussed | Nov 17, 2010 |
Heinrich Pesch wrote:
I believe this has not been discussed so far in the fora.
The issue is the issue of whether to reject a job that seems to be illegal, and I think it has been discussed.
If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff. ... Is it advisable to contact the police?
You should decide how confidential you regard the client's details to be. If a lawyer wants to use a scam letter as evidence in a trial, he might want it translated, so the fact that you're translating a scam letter doesn't mean you or the client is necessarily doing anything illegal.
Samuel
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| Only if the lawyer tells you so | Nov 17, 2010 |
Samuel Murray wrote: If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff. ... Is it advisable to contact the police? You should decide how confidential you regard the client's details to be. If a lawyer wants to use a scam letter as evidence in a trial, he might want it translated, so the fact that you're translating a scam letter doesn't mean you or the client is necessarily doing anything illegal. Samuel
I believe you're fully aware that Heinrich is mentioning about a scam message which would be addressed to people who would fall for it. What you mentioned is a different story, and in the case you mentioned, I'm pretty sure that the lawyer wants to use the scam letter as evidence, you will either hear from the lawyer himself or the client who's asking you to do the translation for them that this particular document would be submitted as evidence to a XXX scam which happened on MM/DD/YY.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 23:50
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Yasutomo Kanazawa wrote: Samuel Murray wrote: If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff. ... Is it advisable to contact the police? You should decide how confidential you regard the client's details to be. If a lawyer wants to use a scam letter as evidence in a trial, he might want it translated, so the fact that you're translating a scam letter doesn't mean you or the client is necessarily doing anything illegal. In the case you mentioned, I'm pretty sure that the lawyer wants to use the scam letter as evidence, you will either hear from the lawyer himself or the client who's asking you to do the translation for them that this particular document would be submitted as evidence to a XXX scam which happened on MM/DD/YY.
Would scammers never tell you that? If a scammer had tried unsuccessfully to have his message translated by translators who refuse to do it, will he not change his story and claim to be a lawyer or representing a lawyer who might need the letter as evidence in court?
My point is that the translator should decide how to strike the balance between client confidentiality and whistle blowing.
| | | | | Agree with Samuel | Nov 17, 2010 |
Samuel Murray wrote: Heinrich Pesch wrote:
I believe this has not been discussed so far in the fora. The issue is the issue of whether to reject a job that seems to be illegal, and I think it has been discussed. If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff. ... Is it advisable to contact the police? You should decide how confidential you regard the client's details to be. If a lawyer wants to use a scam letter as evidence in a trial, he might want it translated, so the fact that you're translating a scam letter doesn't mean you or the client is necessarily doing anything illegal. Samuel
Samuel Murray wrote: Yasutomo Kanazawa wrote: Samuel Murray wrote: If you are offered a job and recognise the text as belonging to a scam project, you can decline of course, but then there will be someone else to approach and in the end someone will translate the stuff. ... Is it advisable to contact the police? You should decide how confidential you regard the client's details to be. If a lawyer wants to use a scam letter as evidence in a trial, he might want it translated, so the fact that you're translating a scam letter doesn't mean you or the client is necessarily doing anything illegal. In the case you mentioned, I'm pretty sure that the lawyer wants to use the scam letter as evidence, you will either hear from the lawyer himself or the client who's asking you to do the translation for them that this particular document would be submitted as evidence to a XXX scam which happened on MM/DD/YY. Would scammers never tell you that? If a scammer had tried unsuccessfully to have his message translated by translators who refuse to do it, will he not change his story and claim to be a lawyer or representing a lawyer who might need the letter as evidence in court? My point is that the translator should decide how to strike the balance between client confidentiality and whistle blowing.
I agree with Samuel 100%. I couldn`t have said it better. No need to add more words.
Thank you Samuel for putting "my" thoughts into words.
| | | | Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 00:50
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Did not mean that | Nov 17, 2010 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote: Hi Heinrich. I reckon you could for instance check Proz.com's Wiki about the matter and add and improve as you see fit.
What I like to discuss is not scam jobs but international criminal behaviour using the internet and how to behave if they approach us as service providers.
If this has been discussed to what conclusion did you get? Who to contact?
If a translator works for a scammer is s/he responsible according to law?
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