Beware of "Denis Lamalice" Autor wątku: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
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I’ve been scammed for the very first time. I’m usually extremely careful, but this time, as it was an urgent project, I let my guard down. I was initially contacted via WhatsApp (+19185073689). The person in question (Denis Lamalice) spoke to me in fluent French, with a slight Parisian accent, telling me that he was involved in a business deal that was currently confidential and that he needed a series of emails translated from English into Portuguese and from Spanish into Portuguese. I repl... See more I’ve been scammed for the very first time. I’m usually extremely careful, but this time, as it was an urgent project, I let my guard down. I was initially contacted via WhatsApp (+19185073689). The person in question (Denis Lamalice) spoke to me in fluent French, with a slight Parisian accent, telling me that he was involved in a business deal that was currently confidential and that he needed a series of emails translated from English into Portuguese and from Spanish into Portuguese. I replied that I always corresponded with clients via email, and sure enough, shortly afterwards I received a series of email texts concerning a corporate merger. I translated the texts and sent them along with my invoice. The following day, I received a «transfer receipt» via WhatsApp showing an incorrect amount (less than the invoice total), which never reached my bank account. I complained, he apologised and sent me a new set of emails – again urgent – which I translated, having issued a new invoice. 8 days later, having no payment I did send a reminder. This was followed by dead silence. Fortunately, the amount in question is not large (95 EUR), but it is frustrating that these things happen, especially when work is otherwise scarce. As the emails mentioned a French lawyer working at the French branch of a major US law firm, I sent him an email explaining what had happened, but have not yet received a reply.
P.S. I’ve just noticed that this "Denis Lamalice" has set up a profile on Proz… ▲ Collapse
| | | | | So sorry to hear, Teresa | Jul 27 |
Thank you for sharing your experience and for warning the rest of us.
To be honest, the scammer's name alone, "Lamalice", would have immediately raised a red flag for me.
Being contacted via WhatsApp for a first professional approach is also something I personally would not engage with.
But, it's easy to say that from the outside.
Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and they know exactly how to exploit moments when people are excited about a new opportunity... See more Thank you for sharing your experience and for warning the rest of us.
To be honest, the scammer's name alone, "Lamalice", would have immediately raised a red flag for me.
Being contacted via WhatsApp for a first professional approach is also something I personally would not engage with.
But, it's easy to say that from the outside.
Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and they know exactly how to exploit moments when people are excited about a new opportunity or under pressure.
Any of us could be caught off guard.
Thank you again for sharing your story. It may help someone else avoid the same situation. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Natalie 
Polska
Local time: 14:47
Członek ProZ.com
od 2002
angielski > rosyjski
+ ...
MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER | Profile and email blocked | Jul 27 |
The IPs showed UK (not France) but as you know they can be easily spoofed.
Natalia
| | | | Philippe Etienne
Hiszpania
Local time: 14:47
Członek ProZ.com
angielski > francuski
+ ...
| What's their scheme to steal you money? | Jul 27 |
Sorry to hear that Teresa. What an apt name for a crook. You will add WhatApp leads (and urgent, can't-wait first assignments without full payment in advance) to your No-go list!
Do you think that they actually wanted those emails translated? Is the phone number still active?
Even for a small amount, if you feel like it and it's a real customer who just want to get free service, you could threaten them to post those oh-so-confidential e-mails ("The Teresa Papers") everywhere unless p... See more Sorry to hear that Teresa. What an apt name for a crook. You will add WhatApp leads (and urgent, can't-wait first assignments without full payment in advance) to your No-go list!
Do you think that they actually wanted those emails translated? Is the phone number still active?
Even for a small amount, if you feel like it and it's a real customer who just want to get free service, you could threaten them to post those oh-so-confidential e-mails ("The Teresa Papers") everywhere unless paid within 6 hours through Bizum. Including here por fa, in all languages.
Take care,
Philippe ▲ Collapse
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yinnyann
Hiszpania
Local time: 14:47
angielski > francuski
+ ...
| Dennis o pimentinha | Jul 27 |
That name would be a big red flag for every French person born in the last century, since it's the French name of the movie "Dennis the Menace".
Hopefully, this was no big harm.
[Modifié le 2026-07-27 12:20 GMT]
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Natalie wrote:
The IPs showed UK (not France) but as you know they can be easily spoofed.
Natalia
Thank you!
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Philippe Etienne wrote:
Sorry to hear that Teresa. What an apt name for a crook. You will add WhatApp leads (and urgent, can't-wait first assignments without full payment in advance) to your No-go list!
Do you think that they actually wanted those emails translated? Is the phone number still active?
Even for a small amount, if you feel like it and it's a real customer who just want to get free service, you could threaten them to post those oh-so-confidential e-mails ("The Teresa Papers") everywhere unless paid within 6 hours through Bizum. Including here por fa, in all languages.
Take care,
Philippe
I haven’t the faintest idea what their intention was: a free translation?! I knew what the name meant, but as ‘Lamalice’ is a common surname, I thought it was just a coincidence (the moral of the story: even after working in this field for over 40 years and no longer being young, I’m still naive). The phone number is still active, but when I ring, nobody answers. The fake proof of payment they sent me was from a Maltese bank. I threatened them about 10 days ago that I’d let my colleagues know by every means possible what had happened…
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Something about the last name "lamalice" gives one pause. He lived up to the name.
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