| | | • | | Last update: Friday, March 10, 2023 - 22:38 UTC | | |  |  | | SITE NAVIGATION | | | | | amort-call | | | TRANSLATOR SCAMMERS DIRECTORY | | | | SCAMMER-FIGHTING TOOLS | | | | | | Ask the scammer for a video call on Skype. | Or just a phone call... | | Scammer busted! | | | | Better yet! | Ask the translator to mail you a Notarized Identity Verification Statement... | | Scammer busted! | | | | DO NOT expect any honorable behavior from the scammers. | | They will sign anything, use any name, provide any false information they see fit for their scamming operation! | | | NEVER trust! ALWAYS verify! | | | I am working in translation field from 10 years ago and it is the fist time company asking me for ID. | | Talk with another translator and do not talk with me again. | | Scammer "Svetla Nencheva" | | | | Asking the scammers for documentary identification proof? Think again! | | | | When suspicious about some scammer's identification, you should never ask for a simple copy or scan of a documentary identification. Because pictures of ID cards are so widely available in the Internet, all scammers have to do is to copy one of these pictures, create a Gmail address matching the name on the picture, paste this information on a stolen CV and, voilà, he/she in business and ready to make proof of his/her new identity. Also, scammers may have tricked real translators into providing them scans of their own identification documents ("because of the ID theft going around in the translation community", they'll say...). Bear also in mind that images or PDF documents can be easily manipulated and forged. | | Also, a smart scammer may ask the legitimate translator for the data needed to fill out the W-8/W-9 tax forms (USA) and use such data to provide his/her client with a "genuine" form. | | | | Keep in mind that scammers will promptly violate any honor system they may be asked to live by: they will quickly use fake names and false signatures on any document or grossly misrepresent themselves to achieve their purposes. | | Your company is the first to ask for official documents to check my identity. I have never sent personal documents by email such as my photo or university certificates this is because the net is always being hacked. I am sorry to receive such a request from you. — Scammer "Gabriele Broszat", after being asked by "her" victim to provide proof of "her" identity. First, "she" gave lovatostefan@gmail.com as "her" PayPal ID. When questioned about "her" use of the same address used by another Arabic translator, she provided liancarmen@gmail.com as another PayPal ID. When questioned further, she provided gabriele.broszat@gmail.com as "her" PayPal ID. Good news: scammer is still waiting for "her" money! | | | When in doubt, ask the scammer for certified true (i.e., notarized) copies of his/her documents, or a Notarized Identity Verification statement (see below). Of course, for someone residing, for instance, in France, the certification/notarization should be done by a French Notary, and not by a Notary in Abu Dhabi, "because I'm visiting some friends here...". One scammer, impersonating a translator in USA, failed to send a W9 form to the client and tried to use the "friend and travel" trick: "I will send you my friend's details to send money via MoneyGram, as I am on travel (!!!)". | | Here is the "proof of ID" that a scammer (Martin / Martine Isaac) sent to a company suspicious of her true identity (actually, "Martine" is a ghost created by Translation Secrets). Remember, any stolen ID doc can be used to create a fake identity. And a stolen smartphone or camera can provide a criminal the photos needed to create another fake identity, without the need to copy photos from the Internet: | | | | Some more examples of fake, doctored, stolen, copied online ID documentts used by scammers to convice their victims of their fake identities. With documents) provided by the real person to the scammers, they even created FAKE profiles on Translation Directory and Translators Café... | | | | Below, we show you some documentary ID pictures collected from the Internet. Some of these "ID cards" don't even legally exist. Can you spot the fake ones? | | | | | An excellent resource by Wikepedia on the various identity documents used worldwide. | | | | TRANSLATORS, BEWARE! Any documents, certificates, diplomas, professional references, etc. sent to the scammers WILL be used by them to impersonate you with a higher degree of credibility. Do NOT give scammers the rope for them to hang you! | | | | | | |  | | Notarized Identity Verification | | To confirm the identity of a translator — in case of well founded doubts about his/her identity/nationality/place of residence provided online or on a CV — ask him/her to have this statement notarized by an official notary public. And, because the CV/Identity theft is based on the scammers using their own emails, ONE EMAIL ADDRESS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS FORM. After certification by a Notary, the original form should be MAILED to the requester. For a higher degree of security, this form SHOULD NOT BE SENT by electronic means (i.e., scanned, emailed of faxed). | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | REMEMBER! | Scammers never use their emails as PayPal IDs. | | | | I don't have a bank account as I don't pay taxes. | | "French" scammer's excuse to have payment sent to a Gmail PayPal ID in Palestine... | | My friends will send me the money. | | | | Send money to my friend via MoneyGram, as I am on travel. | | "US" scammer's excuse to have payment sent to a MoneyGram account in Palestine... | | | | I don't use phone for business. Send message in my email. | | Scammer's excuse to avoid being caught on phone | | | | I can't speak on phone. I have sore throat. | | Scammer's excuse to avoid being caught on phone | | | | I can't speak on Skype. I'm driving. | | 30 seconds later, scammer sends an email... | | | | I am very ill and I must go to hospital for treatment. I can not work for you. | | Scammer's reply, when asked to verify his identity | | | | I have this phone number, as I am on visit to the Holy Land. | | "Colombian" scammer's excuse for giving a Palestine mobile number as point of contact | | | | Please use my friend name when you transfer the payment because it is my friend account not my account | | Payment "instructions" from ghost "Roman Brenan" created by scammers | | | | I provided you my friend account as I have many issues with the paypal | | Payment "instructions" from scammer Ahmed Al-Qirawi behind the scam of Azul Benito | | | | I am now outside France in a charity translation work in middle east | | Payment "instructions" from scammer Ahmed Al-Nahhal behind the scam of "Isabelle Simon" | | | | My brother is now in Palestine in Bethlehem Tourism went to visit churches, he have a bank account. | | Payment "instructions" from scammer Ola Kari | | | | Online Tools | | | |  | | Video Chat: The Ultimate Weapon Against Scammers | | | Video calls are the ultimate weapon against scammers, and https:/videolink2.me is a great tool to expose them: free, in Web (nothing to install) and no registration needed. Just open your browser, allow the tool to use your camera and microphone and send the link to the other party. You'll hear the most amazing excuses: "bad connection", "camera broken", "I'm driving", "no camera", "I have a sore throat", "I don't use chat for business, just email" or (our favorite): «I want to express my apologie on your request because I have a speaking problems, my vocal cords damaged due to an old accident.» | | | |  | | Confidential scammer-fighting tool | | | Contact us for more information (of course, we'll respond only to genuine translators and translation companies). | | | |  | | Translators, Interpreters and Linguists New Client Checklist | | | Industry Standards and Beyond: The Essentials of Translator Vetting (a very useful reading, by Cyracom). | | | |  | | Locating the scammers: where is this email coming from? | | | Lookup the email sender's IP and run a geographical search here: utrace.de. Or, trace the source IP address of an email based on the email headers here: Google Admin Toolbox Messageheader Note: Emails sent from Gmail will ONLY trace back to Google IP addresses (in the USA). | | | |  | | How can I open / view an email header? | | | Download and read our Report. | | | |  | | Email Addresses Checker | | | This email checking tool connects to the mail server and verifies whether the email address exists. | | | |  | | Where Scammers Live: Fake and Fantastic Addresses on Fake CVs ➤ | | | Willing to look legitimate, scammers frequently include street addresses and look-right phone numbers on their fake CVs. Checking this data is a powerful tool in identifying scammers and fake CVs. | | | |  | | How to take down a translation industry spammer | | | Learn from a freelance translator how to set up a trap to catch a scammer. In a nutshell, he setup a password protected job offer on his website and demanded the interested parties to access it. Using the server logs, he was able to find out that the "translator", Vera Kahar, was, in fact a ghost created by known scammers from 24translate: Hamza Mohammed (hamza@24translate.net). Read more. | | | |  | | PRADO – Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online | | | PRADO is a multilingual site with information on authentic identity and travel documents from Europe. It includes information on the validity and on other legal aspects, as well as technical descriptions (including descriptions of some of the most important security features) of these documents. PRADO is organized and hosted by the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU (GSC), in the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs. | | | |  | | Be aware of fake identification documents | | | These are just a small sample of Internet sources of FAKE ID DOCUMENTS: www.fakeidentification.co.uk www.fakeiduk.com www.reallygoodfakes.com www.youfinishit.com www.fakeidking.com | | | |  | | IBAN Checker | | | The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is an internationally agreed means of identifying bank accounts across national borders with a reduced risk of transcription errors. For the purpose of this website, this checker serves to verify the validity of a bank account number provided for payment. | | | |  | | SWIFT / BIC Code Search / Validation | | | An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is used internationally to uniquely identify the sort code and account number of a customer at a financial institution. While IBANs are predominantly used in Europe, the following countries also use IBANs — Bahrain, Israel, Palestine Territories, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The IBANs of each country differ, they may be longer or shorter depending upon local numbering standards. | | | |  | | SIREN / SIRET Validator (France) | | | Any bona fide professional or business in France will have a SIRET number. The first nine digits identify the trading entity and the last five digits the center where the business was registered. The first nine digits of the SIRET number make up what is called the SIREN number (Système informatisé du répertoire national des entreprises et des établissements). The SIRET number should appear on all business paperwork and publicity; which includes the likes of business cards websites. If the number is not visible or the business owner is unable to give you a SIRET number, you should strongly question his/her identity. BUT, BE CAREFUL: SCAMMERS MAY HAVE OBTAINED THE SIREN / SIRET NUMBER FROM THEIR VICTIMS! | | | |  | | CVR (Central Business Register) (Denmark) | | | The Central Business Register (CVR) is the central register containing primary data on all businesses in Denmark, regardless of economic and organizational structure. CVR also covers both public and private businesses. | | | |  | | Generic VAT Number Validator (for more reliable results, use the VIES database) | | | This checks the validity of the format of an EU VAT number (Norwegian, Serbian, and Swiss VAT formats are also supported). Note that it DOES NOT check whether the code is currently allocated — this may done by interrogating the EU VIES database (next link). All necessary check digit validation is performed except for the new style French TVA numbers, which are not believed to be yet in use, and the new style Irish numbers. | | | | | | |  | | VAT Identification Number Validation (VIES / European Europe) | | | In the European Union, a VAT identification number can be verified online at the EU's official VIES website, it confirms that the number is currently allocated and can provide the name or other identifying details of the entity to whom the identifier has been allocated. It is one of the most reliable sources to validate the professional status of translators in Europe. BUT, BE CAREFUL: SCAMMERS MAY HAVE OBTAINED THE VAT NUMBER FROM THEIR VICTIMS! | | | |  | | UID / VAT Identification Number Validation (Switzerland) | | | Information and validation of the Value Added Tax Number (VAT) and Business Identification Number (BID/UID/IDE/IDI) in Switzerland. | | | |  | | D&B D-U-N-S® Number Lookup (USA and International) | | | The Data Universal Numbering System, abbreviated as DUNS or D-U-N-S, is a proprietary system developed and regulated by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) that assigns a unique numeric identifier, referred to as a "DUNS number" to a single business entity. It is a common standard worldwide. More than 50 global, industry, and trade associations recognize, recommend, or require DUNS. The DUNS database contains over 100 million entries for businesses throughout the world, including many translation companies. | | | |  | | Social Security Number Verification Service (US Government site) SSN Validator (Not affiliated with the US Government) | | | In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued to US citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents. BE CAREFUL: SCAMMERS MAY HAVE OBTAINED THE SSN FROM THEIR VICTIMS! | | | |  | | ABA Number / Bank Routing Number (United States) | | | The Bank Routing Number, sometime referred as ABA Number, is a 9 digit number assigned by the American Bankers Association (ABA) to uniquely identify the bank on which payment is drawn. The bank routing number is also referred as the "check routing number" because it generally appears at the bottom of a US check. | | | |  | | EFT Routing Number / MICR Number (Transit Number) (Canada) | | | The Financial Institutions Branch Directory (FIBD) provides routing numbers and addresses for branches of all Canadian financial institutions. | | | |  | | Generic Credit Card Number Validator | | | This function checks the validity of a credit card specified by the supplied parameters containing the card number and card type. Note that this routine does not supply credit card verification functionality, which can only be provided from within the credit card company server. This function DOES NOT capture, log or transmit the input. | | | | | | |  | | UK and International Phone Information | | | The International codes section of The Phone Book online (by the British Telecommunications plc) allows you to find the dialling code for a particular Country along with the codes for the major Cities within that Country, or the Country that relates to a particular dialling code. | | | |  | | US Phone Validator (United States) | | | Is it a cell or is it a landline? Check US phone numbers for free to learn the line type and phone company! | | | |  | | How to Trace the IP Address of a Skype Call | | | Scammers love Skype! In their profiles they will tell you all sorts of lies, including their location, which is frequently fake, in a effort to hide their real whereabouts. Skype only displays the username of the person on the other end of the call, providing you with no way of determining where the call originate from. By using your computer's command prompt and some online tools, you can determine a caller's IP address' physical location. | | | |  | | Postal Code Lookup (Worldwide) | | | Scammers will use the most fantastic addresses in their scammed CVs or in any other documents they may be asked to sign. In one instance, a scammer trying to get paid by a US company even signed a W-9 form (which is for US residents ONLY) and provided a fake address in Jerusalem with a "00972" postal code. Jerusalem postal codes start by 9... | | | |  | | Search by Image (Google) | | | Sometimes, scammers will use images on their fake CVs or online profiles (like G+). Run a search by image and see who does the image belong to. | | | |  | | Creating Secured PDF Documents (PDF) | | | Instructions on how to secure your PDF documents. NOTE: This will NOT prevent your CV to be hijacked by scammers, but it will slow down and make their task somewhat more difficult. | | | | Words of Appreciation | | | |  | | Country IP Blocks | | | To the folks at Country IP Blocks in Prescott, AZ, United States, our heartfelt thanks for their kind support. | | | | | | | | | Search Our Website | | In the search box below, use quotes to improve your search of names, e.g. "Agatha Colten". To search for email addresses, there is NO need to use quotes, e.g., alexander.b.ackerman@gmail.com | | In Google, write your search string (normally a name or email) with quotes (with names) and follow it with the words 'translator scammers': "Andrew Wright" translator scammers | | | | | | green-solar | | |  | | ABOUT US: This website is maintained by volunteers from the TRANSLATOR SCAMMERS INTELLIGENCE GROUP to fight the plague of translators' impersonation and identity and CV theft and fake translation companies running wild in the translation industry. | | | |  | | MISSION & PURPOSE: Our Mission and the Purpose of this website and its content is to publicly expose the scammers' own identities (fake or real) and to harm and disrupt their activities to the greatest extent possible. We heartily thank all translators who have had their CVs and identities hijacked by scammers and sent us the details of the scam and also all translation company owners and PMs from the four corners of the world who have sent us fake CVs and other precious information about the scammers operation and identities. | | | |  | | DISCLAIMER: We hope that this Directory will be useful to anyone seeking information about translator scammers and impersonators. All data published is thoroughly verified and deemed to be reliable at the time of publishing. However, the publishers of this website make no warranties of any kind about the accuracy of this website content and accept no liability of any kind including but not limited to performance, fitness for any particular purpose, or any losses or damages of any kind caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the use of or inability to use the content of this website. No liability will also be accepted by the publishers of this website for the way in which visitors interpret and/or use this website's content. | | | |  | | WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNCONTROLLED COPIES OF THIS WEBSITE OR ANY OF ITS FILES POSTED OUTSIDE OF OUR DOMAIN. | | | |  | | IMPRINT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (COPYRIGHT): This domain, website, and its content are the property of the TRANSLATOR SCAMMERS INTELLIGENCE GROUP and cannot be reproduced or modified without permission from their proprietors/authors. This website was first published online on February 15, 2014 – 22:00 UTC. | | |