Forum for Translators: Has anyone worked with Best Translation/Laszlo Nagy
Dear colleagues,
Has anyone worked with this agency?
The things that worry me are the discrepancy between the announced USA location and the Hungarian IP address, as well as the gmail e-address.
Thank you all.
Khun Rosita,
I noticed the same and has a suspicion on this postings. FYI, I searched through google under his name provided. It seemed like his name is belong to a deceased famous writer in Hungary. Very suspicious indeed.
Kittisak
Thai Professional Translator
Hi Rositsa,
That discrepancy niggles me too. I can't find the name of the agency, nor his name, anywhere.
Has anyone else had any experience with Laszlo Nagy?
Thanks,
Morag
Here is one reply I received.
Dear Rositsya:
Did you happen to receive a mail from a Hungarian translator called Sezsták offering a list with translation clients or agencies which he sells through Ebay, coincidentally after you replied to the job offer by Lazslo Nagy?
This happened to me, and as I have never worked for Hungary, nor have any contacts there other than this "Lazslo Nagy", I wonder if this was a trick orchestrated by this Sesztak Zsolt to get mail addresses from translators and create a database to sell his product.
I would like to know if this "Ebay offer" has been received by other people who replied to Laszlo Nagy's job post. If this is so, I will post a thread in ProZ.com about it. Thank you, very much.
Regards,
Paula Tizzano Fernández
And yes, I received the same proposal to buy this database. INTERESTING SCAM, ISN'T IT?
Therefore, please enlist for my suggestion that all agencies announced their physical address and telephones (see the topic in our forum).
Hi,
Yes, after I repplied to Laszlo Nagy, I have received offer from Sesztak Zsolt.
Best regards
Jan
Dear peers,
Please read the next text and go to the link I am sending to you in order to acquaint with a list of scammers sending e-mails to translators and interpreters. Maybe you will see in this list your old well-known scammer that sent you fake check or false offer to translations. And please think about why this website that you have profiles only send you such a scammers e-mail /on behalf of.../.Perhaps we have to write to CEO with these questions.
Here is the text, you are welcome to comment:
Nigerian Scam Alerts Targeted at Translators/Interpretors
"Nigerian check" and similar scams have long been a problem for the unwary. In recent years, the scam has evolved to target interpreters and translators specifically. The basis scam works like this: A "potential client", sometimes an individual but recently also an "agency", sends a mass email asking about obtaining interpreting/translating services in the target's country. When they get a response, the "client" agrees to normal or even higher than normal fees and wants to make an advance payment for whatever reason. The target then receives a check or money order for the advance payment to deposit in the bank. Shortly thereafter, the client cancels the job and requests the money be refunded, which the uninformed target then does. But the check or money orders subsequently turn out to be forgeries or drawn on closed or non-existent accounts so the target's bank reverses the deposit and the target is out not only the deposit but any funds that he/she refunded to the client.
These scams are often characterized by:
* Poor English
* Gmail or other "anonymous" email accounts
* Higher than market rates offered
* A lack of verifiable contact data
* The use of a legitimate translation agency's contact data EXCEPT the email address
To help prevent freelancers from falling prey to these scams, Payment Practices is establishing this list where you can report names and other contact data when you receive an offer you believe to be a scam TARGETED SPECIFICALLY AT TRANSLATORS or INTERPRETERS. (Reporting every suspicious email your receive would quickly overwhelm the database.) Just enter whatever information you have below to add the attempted scam to the list.
http://www.paymentpractices.net/Scams.aspx
P.S. I do think seriously to move my profile from this site, because I received already 6 or 7 such a offers. Do you think the same?
I have received an email with an offer of a list of agencies for 49 dollars. The email came after I applied for a job posted by Laszlo Nagy. I thought the email was very fishy because he over complimented my profile without seeing any of my work, and he was a bit unprofessional while talking about another freelancer he was working with, even though he didn't name the person. Also he said he would be sending me a proofreading job within a week but offered his list of agencies and implied I could pay for it with the job or through his paypal account. I'm suspecting this is a scam.
I got the exact same message. I now noticed his initial job offer (on a different translators' directory) has been removed by the site staff and his recently created profile/account deleted. There is also a forum discussion going on over there about this person. I was about to reply to his e-mail but I won't be doing that anymore.
Same here. I replied to the job offer he posted posted on TranslatorsCafe and he sent me a very lengthy email saying that he was interested in working with me, how professional my profile looked and that I 'must be a very good translator'without having seen any of my translation work. Yeah, right. Then he went on to offer me a database containing thousands of translation agencies for USD 49. Needless to say I smelled a rat straight away so I haven't bothered to reply. Be warned.
Hi,
I also have some doubts however seems authentic his ad, he posts several times.
I am more bothered that some don't put their phone numbers.
I got email from BENJAMIN BRATT for translation into Slovenian language but seems fake. His supposed email: allcorrectbratt@gmail.com
Regards,
Borut
Hello everybody. I'm English-Polish translator and I also got some commission from Mr Benjamin Bratt. He gave me no details about himself and wanted to pay only via Money Order. He didn't mention anything about his agency or company. Recently I had similar proposition from Mr Micheal Horn. Please be careful about such offers - they seem lucrative, but it's total scam.
Anyway - why do they do this? Are these translations so profitable that it is reasonable to try to deceive us? Or maybe it's dirty money laundering? No idea...
Hi, I recieved a translation also from a Benjamin Bratt. As far as I can Tell He if offering advanced payment for my work. I haven't been using sites like Translation Directory for long so I´m not sure what to think. Can anyone advise me ??? Here is what he wrote:
Dear ,
Am very sorry about the delay in my response and thanks so much for
the price quote, The document to be translated is meant for teaching
in an organisation on creating an orientation and a lesson about the
topic of the document ( Conflict and Dispute in an organisation ), The
translation will be used to address the workers on how to manage
situations between the employer and employee. The translated document
is not to be published nor to be sold.
I HEREBY AWARD THE DOCUMENT TO BE TRANSLATED BY YOU.
The price qoute, i think it's OK by me and In the mean time we need to
discuss about the payment method, doing business with you did not mean
i don't know what it takes ... So I want you to be rest assured that u
will get the full payment before you finish the translation and you
will receive a Check / Money Order as a
mode of payment from ONE OF THE EUROPEAN BANKS, So please i want you
to take a good consideration about my mode of payment because this is
the only means available to get you paid for your job.
Please kinly get back to me as soon as possible and lets get it
started by sending me your Full Names, Full Address, Phone Number so i
can send you the Money Order / Bank Check for the translation job
immediately and where you want the cheque to be sent to and i will get
back to you as soon as i send you the payment.
Please advice as soon as possible.
Best Regards,
Benjamin BRATT.
I received the same mail, and I have given him my address and full name. Do you think I will have a problem with that?
If you know something about it please answer, I am really worried.
Thank you
HI, did you receive the same message, word for word? I,ve been reading about a scam on proz.com and it would appear that the best advice is:
1) if the cheque is for more than the agreed amount, it's a scam
2) if it is for the correct amount you must make absolutely sure that your bank understands not to credit your account until the cheque has been totally cleared
I too have sent my name, address and phone number.
In my opinion Giving them your name and address can,t get you in trouble. Its nt that difficult to get that kind of info. about somebody.
The more I read about it the more convinced I become that it most be some kind of a scam.
It's all a bit strange!
Hi,
After responding to the first enquiry some time agoq I also received this email from Benjamin Bratt with a document attached:
"Hello ,
Thanks for the availability and grant my apology for my lateness to
respond to your mail, find Attached below is the document i want you
to translate. Moreso, i will like you to get back to me with your full
price quote for the whole document.
My Mode of Payment: Money Order / Bank Check
Please kindly get back to me if you can do this for me before the deadline date.
Thanks
Benjamin BRATT"
After I asked for the agency he represents and a proper PO in order to start the job, I heard nothing from him. As I see now from what he wrote to other fellow translators it seems that it could lead to a scam I read about - they send you a check with an amount higher than the one due, and they ask you to transfer to them the difference, while they withdraw the check meanwhile.
I think this is their objective.
Hi! I had the same problem also, I thought he had a problem with his email no longer working, but probably you all are right and he was trying to do something strange... anyway even if he has our data how could he do anything? I mean, I don't think he'll manage to take or withdraw money from our bank account and moreover he disappeared so I hope there's no danger! Let me know! Good luck to all!
i have also received the same e-mail from the same person. i have given him my full info, including my bank account #. do you think u can get in trouble for that. please get back to me. i'm a bit worried. thank you!
I received the same message last week, he e-mailed me the text and offered to pay in advance. Gave him my address and address and name of the bank (without the account No) as I agreed to be paid with a Money Order, not with the bank check. To contact the bank, however, I need the order number. So I have tried to reach him for last couple of days, but his e-mail is now disabled. And without the number I cannot collect the money- so if he had planned any fraud, it backfired on him, I hope.
Good I have not started to do any work...
I have received the same mail from Benjamin Bratt: mind it is a fraud.
This is the text I have received:
Am very sorry about the delay in my response and thanks so much for
the price quote, The document to be translated is meant for teaching
in an organisation on creating an orientation
and a lesson about the topic of the document ( Conflict and Dispute in
an organisation ), The
translation will be used to address the workers on how to manage
situations between the
employer and employee. The translated document is not to be published
nor to be sold.
I HEREBY AWARD THE DOCUMENT TO BE TRANSLATED BY YOU.
The price qoute, i think it's OK by me and In the mean time we need to
discuss about the
payment method, doing business with you did not mean i don't know what
it takes ... So I want
you to be rest assured that u will get the full payment before you
finish the translation and you will receive a Check / Money Order as a
mode of payment from ONE OF THE EUROPEAN
BANKS, So please i want you to take a good consideration about my mode
of payment because
this is the only means available to get you paid for your job.
Please kinly get back to me as soon as possible and lets get it
started by sending me your Full
Names, Full Address, Phone Number so i can send you the Money Order /
Bank Check for the
translation job immediately and where you want the cheque to be sent
to and i will get back to
you as soon as i send you the payment.
N.B: More preferable i would like you to send me your Bank Name and
Address so i can send
the payment to the bank directly for cashing.
Please advice as soon as possible.
Best Regards,
Benjamin BRATT.
I have received the same email from Benjamin BRATT. The email adress doesn't exist any more. Thank you for your warning.
HERE IS SOMETHING NEW AND IMPORTANT
Dear Ms. Panayotova,
Your message in Google made me worry about the proposal to make a translation which I received from Mr. Benjamin Pratt.
I would like to share with you my experience. A few days ago I answered to this proposal, quoting my rate, but did not receive an answer, so I decided that the job was given to some other translator. Surprisingly, Mr. Pratt send me this evening (28 February) a message, awarding me the translation of the document, stating that my rate is OK, promising to send me a cheque before I submit the translation, urging me to give my name, address and phone number asap.
Since I have already made another translation for Mr. Micheal Horn, a translation which was very similar to that offered by Mr. Pratt, I began to suspect something wrong in this matter. Similarity was in the style of the message, in the volume of the text, in a very generous deadline for delivery, in the method of payment by cheque, as well as the same font of the text (Bookman Old Style). I made the translation, emailed it to Mr. Horn, before sending it received a cheque for an amount five times bigger than the payment I asked for. To my reaction that there is a mistake, I was assured that this amount includes another coming translation; after I cash the cheque, deduct my fees, I should send via Western Union the remaining amount to a specified address.Of course I did not satisfy that request.
After a few days I received a request to send to this address some my money because they urgently need funds to book a hall for a seminar; I would take back my money from the cheque. The cashing of the cheque however takes 40 days. So I have a cheque staying in the bank for one month more and for sure will not take a cent from it. I would be very grateful if you can tell me more about Mr. Pratt. May be the names Micheal Horn and Benjamin Pratt belong to the same person.
Your name suggests that you are Bulgarian. We could communicate in Bulgarian language if this proves to be more practical and you willing to communicate. If you use Skype, my address is: yanishevskybv. Please excuse me for bothering you with my problems. Any your comments will be highly appreciated.
Regards,
Boris Yanishevsky
Dear Mr. Boris Yanishevsky,
I have the same case with Mr. Benjamin Bratt and Mr. Johnson Burtton. They sent me big files - 35 pages every with a promise to pay me before the translation is sent to them. All that you explained in your letter to Ms. Panayotova, happens with me, too. Today I wrote to him a letter and it was found that his e-mail address is no longer available. I gave them both my full personal data and now I am expecting their "money orders". What will happens after all, I do not know. But I am afraid when this money order comes to the bank what should we do in order not to lose our earnings from the translation works.
I had such a case in the summer of 2010 from the other scammer - Jorden Dave... I can't understand those people who want to lie and scam other, with all troubles which may the normal people have with them. Who is guilty in this case - the scammer or translators who want to earn honestly their money?
PLEASE Do NOT ACCEPT these kind of projects! I had the same experience with that supposed Michael Horn. I received a cheque with an amount much higher than what I should get paid. I told him and gave me such a bad excuses. I asked him a lot of information and after investigating on Google and asking to the national police it made totally clear it is a SCAM. They send you the money for you to put it into your bank account. Then you have to send them the rest of the money which is intended to finance seminars or whatsoever. Then, when they get the money through Western Union, the bank rejects the cehque as there are no funds. Then you need to refund the bank all the money you have sent to the scammers. SO PLEASE BE REALLY CAREFUL with all the projects you received. Now I am having the problem with that guy called ROBERT AVA. Do not trust anyone. And I totally think that Translation Directory should have some caution with these people posting such scams.
Let's get toghether all of us translators to avoid this happening to anyone else.
Take always care, mates.
Hello Rositsa and other concerned translators,
I'm also looking for information on Best Translation/Laszlo Nagy since I've received a response from him (or his computer) he was supposedly interested in working with me in a 50,000 word/month project. I guess it was too good to be true because I even sent my CV without answer.
Soon, I started my investigation on him and ended up here. I found two webpages with "best translations" name on it, they have nothing to do with Laszlo Nagy
I'm so sorry for us translators falling on this scam!
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