A typical agency spam via ProZ
Thread poster: Vito Smolej
Vito Smolej
Vito Smolej
Germany
Local time: 09:09
Member (2004)
English to Slovenian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Jan 31, 2008

You have been sent a message via your ProZ.com page.
Author: XXXXXX XXXXXX [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]


My name is xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx and I work for a xxxxxxxxxx
translation agency xxxxxxxxx in xxxxxxxx. We are currently
searching for someone to co-operate with us on written
translations from xxxxxxx language into xxxxxxx. If you,
by any chance, are interested in such co
... See more
You have been sent a message via your ProZ.com page.
Author: XXXXXX XXXXXX [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]


My name is xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx and I work for a xxxxxxxxxx
translation agency xxxxxxxxx in xxxxxxxx. We are currently
searching for someone to co-operate with us on written
translations from xxxxxxx language into xxxxxxx. If you,
by any chance, are interested in such collaboration, please
write back to me on the following e-mail address:
[email protected] I would be thankful if you could
include the information on your rates per one source word,
your CV and info on whether you use Trados or any other CAT
tools.
Thank you very much in advance. I’m looking forward to
hearing from you.


How dumb and lazy can one get?

The agency got my name via ProZ, where they can get all the information they were asking me for (plus more). The mail just shows, that they (as disturbingly many lately) have just misused ProZ directories for mass mailing everybody dead and alive.

This is not (NOT) the way I want to be treated. And neither is it the way, ProZ was intended to operate. I can provide the name of the agency to staff on request. They should be told about acceptable and unacceptable practices. An entry on the BlueBoard in this respect could be an appropriate corrective measure.

Last word for agents: this kind of mail insults my professional attitude and ignores totally my readiness to come forward and provide a lot of information publicly on my profile FOR YOU.

Send me a mail like this and you end up on my black list.
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Claudia Alvis
Claudia Alvis  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 03:09
Member
Spanish
+ ...
I don't get it Jan 31, 2008

Hello Vito,

Can you elaborate? I don't understand what is so insulting about this kind of message. Maybe I'm missing something.

Claudia


 
Steven Capsuto
Steven Capsuto  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Well... Jan 31, 2008

Claudia Alvis wrote:

Can you elaborate? I don't understand what is so insulting about this kind of message. Maybe I'm missing something.

Claudia


They say they got his contact information through his profile. It means they were already staring at every piece of information they asked for but were too lazy to take note of it and asked him to provide it again.

I see the logic of his complaint, but I get such messages constantly and it never occurred to me that there was anything unusual about it. I'm glad to have potential clients contacting me.

What I do find annoying is the agencies that continue to spam me through ProZ even though I have made it clear that I don't care to hear from them until they double their rates. I wish there were a function to block incoming messages from specific agencies. I know I could add custom filters to my local e-mail client, but it's annoying to have to do that.

[Edited at 2008-01-31 21:21]


 
Gerard de Noord
Gerard de Noord  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 09:09
Member (2003)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Could be worse Jan 31, 2008

Well, you asked:

You have been sent a message via your ProZ.com page.
Author: XXXXXX XXXXXX [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]



Hi,
We're xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx, a leading xxxxxxxxx based in xxxxxxxx. We are currently searching for someone to co-operate with in your language pair(s). If you, by any chance, are interested in such collaboration, please click here to visit o
... See more
Well, you asked:

You have been sent a message via your ProZ.com page.
Author: XXXXXX XXXXXX [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]



Hi,
We're xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx, a leading xxxxxxxxx based in xxxxxxxx. We are currently searching for someone to co-operate with in your language pair(s). If you, by any chance, are interested in such collaboration, please click here to visit our website and complete the online form.
Thank you very much in advance.


Vito Smolej wrote:

You have been sent a message via your ProZ.com page.
Author: XXXXXX XXXXXX [NOTE: The author is not a registered ProZ.com user or was not logged in when sending this message.]


My name is xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx and I work for a xxxxxxxxxx
translation agency xxxxxxxxx in xxxxxxxx. We are currently
searching for someone to co-operate with us on written
translations from xxxxxxx language into xxxxxxx. If you,
by any chance, are interested in such collaboration, please
write back to me on the following e-mail address:
[email protected] I would be thankful if you could
include the information on your rates per one source word,
your CV and info on whether you use Trados or any other CAT
tools.
Thank you very much in advance. I’m looking forward to
hearing from you.


How dumb and lazy can one get?
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Laura Tridico
Laura Tridico  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:09
French to English
+ ...
I really don't see the harm... Jan 31, 2008

I've answered some fairly cursory e-mails after researching the sender, and gained some very good clients. Not every ProZ member keeps their profile and/or rates constantly updated - I expect that sometimes agencies are just looking to receive fully updated information in one place.

This inquiry seems very polite, and isn't spamming for personal information - I don't have any problem with messages like this.

Laura


 
Viktoria Gimbe
Viktoria Gimbe  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 04:09
English to French
+ ...
A simple solution Feb 1, 2008

Maybe ProZ could implement this: add the option to our profiles to opt out of mass mailings.

I am also very annoyed by such messages, and I also get them at least once a week, sometimes with ridiculous rates already fixed by the potential client I don't even know yet (how THEY can tell ME what MY work is worth still beats me). Another type of mass mailing from ProZ that makes me angry is the people who tell me how they just luuuurv my profile and would like me to register in their d
... See more
Maybe ProZ could implement this: add the option to our profiles to opt out of mass mailings.

I am also very annoyed by such messages, and I also get them at least once a week, sometimes with ridiculous rates already fixed by the potential client I don't even know yet (how THEY can tell ME what MY work is worth still beats me). Another type of mass mailing from ProZ that makes me angry is the people who tell me how they just luuuurv my profile and would like me to register in their database.

I would really appreciate to have the option to be contacted ONLY directly and block mass mailing junk. It IS feasible - how about it?
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Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 10:09
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
Just ignore them, Vito Feb 1, 2008

I can see the usefulness of this kind of mailing to the potential partners.
Why should they enter your data into their files before they even know if you're available, interested, enthusiated to work with them.
Its up to us to delete such messages or answer them and provide the required info.

If I notice the agency works mainly with other language pairs than myself I ignore, otherwise I would provide some details and put the address of my profile at the bottom.
... See more
I can see the usefulness of this kind of mailing to the potential partners.
Why should they enter your data into their files before they even know if you're available, interested, enthusiated to work with them.
Its up to us to delete such messages or answer them and provide the required info.

If I notice the agency works mainly with other language pairs than myself I ignore, otherwise I would provide some details and put the address of my profile at the bottom.

Cheers
Heinrich
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Narasimhan Raghavan
Narasimhan Raghavan  Identity Verified
Local time: 13:39
English to Tamil
+ ...
In memoriam
Some requirements are just incredible! Feb 1, 2008

Here is one job posting in Proz.

Job type: Translation/editing/proofing job

Languages: German to English

Job description:
project with 61165words , Who are able to handle please contact via following, a short trial will require to be done first:

MSN [HIDDEN]
SKYPE narkywang
Email: [HIDDEN]

Do not response to this post, or we might not ablle to check in good time thank you
Source format: PDF Document
... See more
Here is one job posting in Proz.

Job type: Translation/editing/proofing job

Languages: German to English

Job description:
project with 61165words , Who are able to handle please contact via following, a short trial will require to be done first:

MSN [HIDDEN]
SKYPE narkywang
Email: [HIDDEN]

Do not response to this post, or we might not ablle to check in good time thank you
Source format: PDF Document

Volume and pricing:
61110 words
Payment 30 days after date of invoice.

Service provider targeting (specified by job poster):
Preferred expertise: Tech/Engineering
Preferred specific fields: Automotive / Cars & Trucks
Preferred native language: German
Subject field: Automotive / Cars & Trucks
Preferred software: Microsoft Word, SDL TRADOS
Quoting deadline: 11:00pm Nov 23, 2007
Delivery deadline: 9:00am Nov 24, 2007

61110 words within 24 hours. Anyone interested?

Regards,
N.Raghavan
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Vito Smolej
Vito Smolej
Germany
Local time: 09:09
Member (2004)
English to Slovenian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
SITE LOCALIZER
To elucidate ... Feb 1, 2008

Let's turn the situation around (x): I would like to get the XYZ account and I can either

i) send a mail to [email protected] asking for their address, VAT number, phone, fax (you know, the stuff thats on their home page), the language pairs they may have ready for me, the price range they would be ready to pay ... er ... what else ... and provide me with copies of orders (not less than three) showing they really are in a business, I
... See more
Let's turn the situation around (x): I would like to get the XYZ account and I can either

i) send a mail to [email protected] asking for their address, VAT number, phone, fax (you know, the stuff thats on their home page), the language pairs they may have ready for me, the price range they would be ready to pay ... er ... what else ... and provide me with copies of orders (not less than three) showing they really are in a business, I might be interested in.

or

ii) I try to learn as much as I can about the possible client, think out ways to make myself come across as worth a glance, etc etc, in other words THINK from their perspective ("what good can I be to them").

This "agency" and similar just dont seem to have it figured out yet. Were the subject the gender gap and means and ways to cross it, one could describe the subject mail as an indecent proposal.

x: and I am not meaning in the sense of a buyer's vs seller's market - we are all customers whichever way we look at the situation..

[Edited at 2008-02-01 15:58]
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Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:09
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Outsourcing point of view Feb 2, 2008

I often outsource work and I wish I had some way of not sending job offers to people who ask for prices I am not willing to pay.

Pricing is very relative, and sometimes translators do not accept the market rates that I offer. If someone feels it is not enough, I really don't want to contact them. Is there something Proz can do to keep outsourcers from mistakenly contacting translators who would not be intererested in their job offers?


 
MariusV
MariusV  Identity Verified
Lithuania
Local time: 10:09
English to Lithuanian
+ ...
one more issue Feb 11, 2008

What about your CV on proz (where the users can simply download it from your proz profile)? It is a long time I had a dilemma to post it or not (as to have my proz profile "fully completed).

Decided not to. Why? Nothing special is contained in that CV, but it DOES contain some sensitive personal information (place of birth, date of birth, living address, all your "life history", let alone some list of recently completed projects, etc.). And I really do not want it by someone from s
... See more
What about your CV on proz (where the users can simply download it from your proz profile)? It is a long time I had a dilemma to post it or not (as to have my proz profile "fully completed).

Decided not to. Why? Nothing special is contained in that CV, but it DOES contain some sensitive personal information (place of birth, date of birth, living address, all your "life history", let alone some list of recently completed projects, etc.). And I really do not want it by someone from somewhere to have it with just one click of a button.
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MariusV
MariusV  Identity Verified
Lithuania
Local time: 10:09
English to Lithuanian
+ ...
:) Feb 11, 2008

Narasimhan Raghavan wrote:

Here is one job posting in Proz.

Job type: Translation/editing/proofing job

Languages: German to English

Job description:
project with 61165words , Who are able to handle please contact via following, a short trial will require to be done first:

MSN [HIDDEN]
SKYPE narkywang
Email: [HIDDEN]

Do not response to this post, or we might not ablle to check in good time thank you
Source format: PDF Document

Volume and pricing:
61110 words
Payment 30 days after date of invoice.

Service provider targeting (specified by job poster):
Preferred expertise: Tech/Engineering
Preferred specific fields: Automotive / Cars & Trucks
Preferred native language: German
Subject field: Automotive / Cars & Trucks
Preferred software: Microsoft Word, SDL TRADOS
Quoting deadline: 11:00pm Nov 23, 2007
Delivery deadline: 9:00am Nov 24, 2007

61110 words within 24 hours. Anyone interested?

Regards,
N.Raghavan



Dear Raghavan,

Having in mind that you forgot to hide the skype ID of that agency, I can tell you that I even got into a contact with them (even had them on my skype list and we chatted a little bit). Such an agency DOES exist, but they complained that they cannot find normal translators for my language pair and that ALL their test translations FAILED. Then I asked them what rate they can offer and had to say sorry - "my minimum rate is 3 times bigger, and the usual market rate for my language pair is around 4 times bigger". Just wonder if those people live in the Moon or something








[Edited at 2008-02-11 23:50]


 


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A typical agency spam via ProZ







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