Agency asking for my scanned signature
Thread poster: Julieta Mattera
Julieta Mattera
Julieta Mattera
Local time: 17:43
English to Spanish
Mar 9, 2004

Hi there... I have completed my firts project for an agency and they are asking for my scanned signature in case they have a certified translation. I am a certified translator but I live in a different country (of where the agency is). Does anyone know if this is common practice in the US? I have never heard of it and I am a bit reluctanct to send them my scanned signature... anyway I don't think my being certifed is of any use to them. I am certified in Argentina. Thanks for any help. Jul... See more
Hi there... I have completed my firts project for an agency and they are asking for my scanned signature in case they have a certified translation. I am a certified translator but I live in a different country (of where the agency is). Does anyone know if this is common practice in the US? I have never heard of it and I am a bit reluctanct to send them my scanned signature... anyway I don't think my being certifed is of any use to them. I am certified in Argentina. Thanks for any help. Julieta.-Collapse


 
Yongmei Liu
Yongmei Liu  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:43
English to Chinese
+ ...
You could allow them to use your signature on a case-by-case basis Mar 9, 2004

and on your own translations only. Ask them to ask for your permission prior to each use. Also keep a record of these uses yourself.

Any misuse is their responsibility.


 
Suzanne Blangsted (X)
Suzanne Blangsted (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:43
Danish to English
+ ...
signature Mar 9, 2004

Your signature can be copied by anybody whether you mail a direct letter or not, whether you send a scanned signature or not. Anything you sign can be scanned. It is for you to decide how well you trust the agency. Have you checked the Blue Board other translators comments about the agency?

 
Magda Dziadosz
Magda Dziadosz  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 21:43
Member (2004)
English to Polish
+ ...
What!? Mar 9, 2004

Julieta Mattera wrote:

Hi there... I have completed my firts project for an agency and they are asking for my scanned signature in case they have a certified translation. I am a certified translator but I live in a different country (of where the agency is). Does anyone know if this is common practice in the US? I have never heard of it and I am a bit reluctanct to send them my scanned signature... anyway I don't think my being certifed is of any use to them. I am certified in Argentina. Thanks for any help. Julieta.-


A signature of a certified translator means that this translator takes responsibility for the translation signed. How can you allow someone for "certyfying" with your signature if you even haven't seen what they are "signing"??

It sounds veeery stinky to me and you risk a lot allowing for use of your signature. Also, I believe that in some countries that would be simply illegal to use someone's scanned signature for authorising documents.

Apart from the above arguments, certification has its price, do you think they would hire any certified translator if they can "certify" with someone else's scanned signature?

Be very careful. It doesn't look like a legit business to me.

HTH
Magda

[Edited at 2004-03-09 22:51]


 
RWSTranslati (X)
RWSTranslati (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:43
German to English
+ ...
Use of scanned signature Mar 10, 2004

Hello

in my personal opinion is the use of a scanned signature not the same as a real signature. If we sell certified translations, we use of course only real signed documents.

I beleave that all other ways to create a certified translated document are not serious (seriös in German).

Hans


 
Scott Li
Scott Li  Identity Verified
Hong Kong
Local time: 04:43
Member (2005)
Chinese to English
+ ...
Scanned Signature Mar 10, 2004

DSC wrote:

Hello

in my personal opinion is the use of a scanned signature not the same as a real signature. If we sell certified translations, we use of course only real signed documents.

I beleave that all other ways to create a certified translated document are not serious (seriös in German).

Hans


Agree, don't worry about it too much, a scanned signature means it can be reproduced as many as possible. It will not be recognized in any legal issue, since anyone who owns it can reproduce it.

Even in CCTV, digital recording format is not accepted as evidence in court, only analog recording format can be accepted due to possibility to alter the content.


 
smorales30
smorales30  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:43
English to Spanish
+ ...
Send them a fax with your signature and certification Mar 10, 2004

Send them a faxed certification where you state I translated the doc X and X or do a separate note for the agency to sign where you state that your signature is not to be used by the agency. I prefer the first option though (say that for space reasons you cannot provide an original signature). I would hesitate to send my scanned signature: it can be used for any text without your permission

 
Jerónimo Fernández
Jerónimo Fernández  Identity Verified
English to Spanish
+ ...
Careful Mar 10, 2004

Hi Julieta, hi everybody.

Maybe I have misunderstood: the agency would like to use your signature to print it in certified translations that they do?

I don't know how it works in Argentina or the USA, but in Spain photocopied/scanned signatures are not legally accepted (hehe, imagine you get an autograph by your favourite singer and you start signing contracts with his/her scanned signature -if you can, somebody get me a Ferrari, please-).

Certified transla
... See more
Hi Julieta, hi everybody.

Maybe I have misunderstood: the agency would like to use your signature to print it in certified translations that they do?

I don't know how it works in Argentina or the USA, but in Spain photocopied/scanned signatures are not legally accepted (hehe, imagine you get an autograph by your favourite singer and you start signing contracts with his/her scanned signature -if you can, somebody get me a Ferrari, please-).

Certified translators are the direct responsible for the translation they sign. Ie: even if that's accepted in the US or Argentina (which would be pretty shocking), keep in mind that if the agency does a bad job under your signature and the final client decides, say, take the author of the translation to court, that author would be you.

HTH.

Regards,
Jerónimo
Collapse


 
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:43
Dutch to English
+ ...
Totally agree Mar 10, 2004

[quote]Magda Dziadosz wrote:


A signature of a certified translator means that this translator takes responsibility for the translation signed. How can you allow someone for \"certyfying\" with your signature if you even haven\'t seen what they are \"signing\"??

[quote]

I totally agree with everything you say.
I would never allow an agency to use your signature as they see fit. If they need a certified translation with your signature, you can attach a signed declaration to the document before you send it.


 


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