| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] | Poll: What would you do if you were overpaid by mistake? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 21:48
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| It happened a couple of times | Apr 23, 2023 |
The very first thing I did when I noticed the overpayment was to inform my client immediately. I made it clear that I am entirely leaving the decision as how to proceed to him/her. With long-standing clients with recurring projects the client asked me to offset the amount against that of the next project. On my next invoice I stated the agreed upon rate and the total amount due. However, I clearly indicated the deduction form the previous project which reduced the invoice's total amount. Only o... See more The very first thing I did when I noticed the overpayment was to inform my client immediately. I made it clear that I am entirely leaving the decision as how to proceed to him/her. With long-standing clients with recurring projects the client asked me to offset the amount against that of the next project. On my next invoice I stated the agreed upon rate and the total amount due. However, I clearly indicated the deduction form the previous project which reduced the invoice's total amount. Only once was I asked to return it... which I did even before replying to my client.
[Edited at 2023-04-23 16:49 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Nikita Kobrin
Lithuania
Local time: 22:48
Member (2010)
English to Russian
+ ...
| We decided to consider it as a deposit | Apr 24, 2023 |
Recently I was overpaid $3000. We have discussed it with my client and decided to consider it as a deposit for future projects. And we did it this way.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 22:48
Member
English to Turkish
Nikita Kobrin wrote:
Recently I was overpaid $3000.
Any translation agency that pays $3000 by mistake is either a scammer or they fully deserve to get ripped off. Who the hell overpays $3000 to a Russian translator? Are you sure you're not part of some sort of money laundering scheme? I can accept $3000 as deposit any time btw.
I suppose once you've received $3000 as deposit from an agency, you'll feel a lot more confident, or rather 'empowered', to raise your rate from $0.06 per word to $0.15 per word 
[Edited at 2023-04-24 06:54 GMT]
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 15:48
Spanish to English
+ ...
| It happens from time to time... | Apr 24, 2023 |
I once received duplicate payment from an agency. I contacted them immediately and then destroyed the second check.
One time an agency ghosted me after a project, but then sent me a 1099 (tax form) reporting the income to the government. I contacted them and asked them to either send me the payment or amend the tax form with the IRS. They paid me.
Another agency accidentally paid my invoice (~ $2,000) to another translator by mistake. That translator received the check... See more I once received duplicate payment from an agency. I contacted them immediately and then destroyed the second check.
One time an agency ghosted me after a project, but then sent me a 1099 (tax form) reporting the income to the government. I contacted them and asked them to either send me the payment or amend the tax form with the IRS. They paid me.
Another agency accidentally paid my invoice (~ $2,000) to another translator by mistake. That translator received the check (in their name) and cashed it, even though they had no pending invoices due from that agency. ▲ Collapse
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Nikita Kobrin
Lithuania
Local time: 22:48
Member (2010)
English to Russian
+ ...
| Quite weird assumptions | Apr 24, 2023 |
Baran Keki wrote:
Any translation agency that pays $3000 by mistake is either a scammer or they fully deserve to get ripped off.
Absolutely not. They are not scammers and certainly they don't deserve to get ripped off. This agency is one of my best clients. We have been working together for 9 years already...
Baran Keki wrote:
Who the hell overpays $3000 to a Russian translator?
My client did it. Is 'Russian translator' a creature of some special breed? Any spesific difference between Russian translators and all other ones?
Baran Keki wrote: I suppose once you've received $3000 as deposit from an agency, you'll feel a lot more confident, or rather 'empowered', to raise your rate from $0.06 per word to $0.15 per word
I can't raise my rate from $0.06 per word for that simple reason that my current minimum rate is already $0.10...
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 22:48
Member
English to Turkish
| Nothing against Russians | Apr 24, 2023 |
Nikita Kobrin wrote:
Is 'Russian translator' a creature of some special breed?
I don't know. Are they? Surely you must know your colleagues a lot better than I do. The ones I know here seem to be alright, they seem to have a sense of humour and are fully versed on CAT tools and other techy-nerdy stuff. You can replace that with 'Turkish translator', 'Albanian translator', 'Portuguese translator' if that'll make you feel better.
Nikita Kobrin wrote:
Any spesific difference between Russian translators and all other ones?
Well, to be honest, I'd have thought a Norwegian, Dutch, German or a British translator would command better rates than a 'Russian translator' (I hope you don't mind me calling you that), but it seems that's not the case what with you getting 0.10 USD per word and overpaid 3 grant from an agency (you must love living in Lithuania, or rather its access to international banking system).
Anyways, apologies to Russian friends if they're offended. I'd have said the exact same thing to 'Turkish translators' and I know what kind of creatures they are, the ......
| | | | Nikolay Novitskiy
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:48
Member (2018)
English to Russian
I would have donated all the extra money to save the whales of my Urals region, of course!
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 22:48
Member
English to Turkish
Nikolay Novitskiy wrote:
I would have donated all the extra money to save the whales of my Urals region, of course!
$3000 out of thin air and a minimum per word rate of $0.10 could go a long way towards saving the poor buggers... if only others were as thoughtful and caring as you.
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