Recruiter Contact via Protonmail Thread poster: Emal Ghamsharick
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Has anyone else been contacted by one Olivia W. with a Protonmail address and no verifiable business address who offered an above-average rate for the translation of a document about EU security policy?
I found the contact a bit suspicious, so I'm not sure whether to accept the job, even though she offered prepayment...
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 20:53
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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Emal Ghamsharick wrote:
Has anyone else been contacted by one Olivia W. with a Protonmail address...
You probably know this already, but Protonmail is a service that tries to compete with Gmail, so this means that she's using a generic email address.
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Samuel Murray wrote:
Emal Ghamsharick wrote:
Has anyone else been contacted by one Olivia W. with a Protonmail address...
You probably know this already, but Protonmail is a service that tries to compete with Gmail, so this means that she's using a generic email address.
Not necessarily Samuel, if you use the free version of Protonmail, you get very limited folders, so I use the paid version and Protonmail staff are very quick to respond to support requests unlike Gmail which never answers and probably does not even have where to contact it. I find it's a very good service and supposed to be the safest. i haven't had any reason to doubt that. I find their support service to be excellent as they even organised a Zoom session with me to check system when i had a problem with losing emails.
| | | | William Tierney
United States
Local time: 14:53
Member (2002)
Arabic to English
| Due Diligence | Oct 10, 2023 |
As stated above, protonmail doesn't mean one thing or another on the legitimacy of the sender. If anything, it means they are more security conscious. Ask for information you can verify (business license, Tax ID, etc.) Require a street address (regardless of whether it is "the thing" now to dispense with physical addresses), check it on Google maps. I avoid agencies with a mailing address in central Paris but are physically located in another country. If they don't respond (or get offended),... See more As stated above, protonmail doesn't mean one thing or another on the legitimacy of the sender. If anything, it means they are more security conscious. Ask for information you can verify (business license, Tax ID, etc.) Require a street address (regardless of whether it is "the thing" now to dispense with physical addresses), check it on Google maps. I avoid agencies with a mailing address in central Paris but are physically located in another country. If they don't respond (or get offended), then you've avoided a scam. ▲ Collapse
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Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
I was pleasantly surprised that people don't automatically assume Protonmail as a shady email provider favored by scammers. The prejudice against alternative products and services always irks me. However…
Emal Ghamsharick wrote:
offered an above-average rate
she offered prepayment
…these details do concern me.
| | | | | Protonmail, Hotmail, Gmail | Oct 10, 2023 |
Protonmail, like Hotmail and Gmail, hides the sender's IP so it's naturally a magnet for scammers (while other privacy concerned users too).
I would consider it one of the red flags in this case.
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:53
Serbian to English
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| Does sound like your bog standard over-payment scam | Oct 10, 2023 |
Emal Ghamsharick wrote:
Has anyone else been contacted by one Olivia W. with a Protonmail address and no verifiable business address who offered an above-average rate for the translation of a document about EU security policy?
I found the contact a bit suspicious, so I'm not sure whether to accept the job, even though she offered prepayment...
Does sound like your bog standard over-payment scam, especially if the "prepayment" is in form of cheque. See "prepayment scam" for details.
A Protonmail address address is neither here nor there - you need due diligence.
My starting point is talking on the phone. If I can't talk to a live person, I don't bother with any further checks, just move on.
[Edited at 2023-10-10 23:04 GMT]
| | | | | Received similar email | Oct 11, 2023 |
I received an email from Olivia W. via a protonmail address this morning. I wasn't sure either if this is a scam or not, since the email address was odd: [name]+1@protonmail.com.
In my case, she says it's a project focused on economics and finance of approx. 5,500 words. No rates stated. Did you reply and then she told you the rate? I haven't replied, since I first wanted to make sure it's not a scam. Regarding the prepayment, I've already had some scam mails where they offered prep... See more I received an email from Olivia W. via a protonmail address this morning. I wasn't sure either if this is a scam or not, since the email address was odd: [name]+1@protonmail.com.
In my case, she says it's a project focused on economics and finance of approx. 5,500 words. No rates stated. Did you reply and then she told you the rate? I haven't replied, since I first wanted to make sure it's not a scam. Regarding the prepayment, I've already had some scam mails where they offered prepayment or partial prepayment. ▲ Collapse
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| I have also been contacted | Oct 11, 2023 |
I have also been contacted by Olivia W. The pay would only be above average if we were talking about agencies. She seems to be a direct client.
She wants to pay in crypto and has not provided any verifiable information yet.
| | | | Natalie
Poland
Local time: 20:53
Member (2002)
English to Russian
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MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER | Kevin odu
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:53
English to German
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| Olivia Warmer wants Crypto payment | Oct 16, 2023 |
I was contacted 4 days ago by Olivia Walmer who wanted to offer me a translation job.
The scary part is she wanted to pay me via crypto and offered her willingness to help me withdraw the funds should l not know about crypto.
I think she is sending out mass emails to see who she can catch.
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:53
Serbian to English
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| At the risk of repeating myself ... | Oct 24, 2023 |
Stefanie Thiessen wrote:
I received an email from Olivia W. via a protonmail address this morning. I wasn't sure either if this is a scam or not, since the email address was odd: [name]+1@protonmail.com.
In my case, she says it's a project focused on economics and finance of approx. 5,500 words. No rates stated. Did you reply and then she told you the rate? I haven't replied, since I first wanted to make sure it's not a scam. Regarding the prepayment, I've already had some scam mails where they offered prepayment or partial prepayment.
There is nothing wrong with a prepayment if it's REALLY a prepayment.
The scammer's best friend - a cheque - IS NOT a real "payment" it's in effect only a "promise to pay", a promise that can either turn out to be just hot air or morph into a real payment, but only when the cheque is cashed. Banks are not your friend as more often than not they will credit the cheque to your account BEFORE being sure that the cheque can be cashed.
BTW be also aware that Paypal is not much better. I remember reports of people being "paid in advance" through Paypal, only for the payment to be taken back from them after delivering the translation, when the scammer clients claimed they didn't receive the translation or that the quality wasn't up to scratch.
More about the same:
https://www.proz.com/forum/scams/324202-scam_translation_of_a_11643_word_document_various_email_addresses_payment_with_a_check.html#:~:text=No,%20they%20don't%20pay%20you%20first
[Edited at 2023-10-24 08:39 GMT]
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| I was contacted by "Olivia V." | Dec 6, 2023 |
Hi all, it seems that this lady is keeping on contacting translators, but now she has changed her name into "Olivia V." (I don't know if I should mention her full surname). The domain is still Protonmail. She sent me an e-mail on Friday, and when I answered she offered me 750€ in cryptocurrency for a 5,5000 text. The content of the e-mail is apparently the same that other people in the comments above received.
I thought it was important to inform you all.
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