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How to find out if someone is scamming you?
Thread poster: Robin Joensuu
Robin Joensuu
Robin Joensuu  Identity Verified
Sweden
Local time: 11:22
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English to Swedish
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TOPIC STARTER
Agreed. Oct 10, 2015

When I started, back in 2003, I used Outlook, but the disadvantage there was that I only could open the mails on my own computer. Now with gmail, I can open my mails anywhere in the world, and on my smartphone. I am sure there are much better systems, but for me gmail works as a charm.


I can absolutely relate to this. And as for better systems, I have tried a few but none work as well as Gmail (but I use the paid version with my own domain name). And the reason is simply that Google immediately adopts new ideas from other services and have their very well paid and skilled product developers refine them.

Then we can always discuss the issue with personal integrity with Google products, but that is perhaps another topic.

But I guess what was meant above is that free email providers, e.g. gmail or hotmail addresses rather than the paid version both you and I use, CAN be a red flag.

P.S. (also another topic) You can use an IMAP connection rather than POP to have your emails on the mail server and then synchronize them on your phone/computer. But in my experience, it works very badly with Outlook and the fixes are complicated, which is the reason I changed to Gmail.

[Edited at 2015-10-10 06:51 GMT]


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 07:22
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
Corporate representatives using free addresses Oct 10, 2015

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

"hotmail or gmail address (because real companies have real mailboxes)"

I have seen this message many times now: 'Look out for gmail users!"

I don't know about hotmail, but I have a gmail account under my own (3) domains and name (for which I pay my provider). Does that make me a scammer, a 'not-professional' or an 'unreal company'?

When I started, back in 2003, I used Outlook, but the disadvantage there was that I only could open the mails on my own computer. Now with gmail, I can open my mails anywhere in the world, and on my smartphone. I am sure there are much better systems, but for me gmail works as a charm.

What is the problem here? Because it is free, all its users are 'not thrustworthy'?


Hi Robert,
A freelancer using a free email address is OK, but if someone writes to you from a free email address claiming to represent a corporation, then you should be suspicious.
Regards,
Enrique


 
Maija Cirule
Maija Cirule  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 12:22
German to English
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Enrique is right Oct 11, 2015

Enrique Cavalitto wrote:

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

"hotmail or gmail address (because real companies have real mailboxes)"

I have seen this message many times now: 'Look out for gmail users!"

I don't know about hotmail, but I have a gmail account under my own (3) domains and name (for which I pay my provider). Does that make me a scammer, a 'not-professional' or an 'unreal company'?

When I started, back in 2003, I used Outlook, but the disadvantage there was that I only could open the mails on my own computer. Now with gmail, I can open my mails anywhere in the world, and on my smartphone. I am sure there are much better systems, but for me gmail works as a charm.

What is the problem here? Because it is free, all its users are 'not thrustworthy'?


Hi Robert,
A freelancer using a free email address is OK, but if someone writes to you from a free email address claiming to represent a corporation, then you should be suspicious.
Regards,
Enrique


I have been engaged in translation for more than 20 years and have been duped just once by a shady Latvian agency. One of my main principles: never, ever answer to cooperation offers sent from gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.


 
Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:22
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
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Corporation.... Oct 11, 2015

.... well, although I am a 'one man company' (called ZZP'er in Dutch = independent entrepreneur without personell), for the Dutch law I am a company, and I am paying my taxes accordingly.

I use gmail under my own domain (as explained before), so the mail you receive is under my name (not gmail). And although I do understand your conceirns, gmail does offer me all the possibilities I need.

So, should I take another mail-provider just because....?

[Edited at 2015-
... See more
.... well, although I am a 'one man company' (called ZZP'er in Dutch = independent entrepreneur without personell), for the Dutch law I am a company, and I am paying my taxes accordingly.

I use gmail under my own domain (as explained before), so the mail you receive is under my name (not gmail). And although I do understand your conceirns, gmail does offer me all the possibilities I need.

So, should I take another mail-provider just because....?

[Edited at 2015-10-11 20:03 GMT]
Collapse


 
Katarzyna Slowikova
Katarzyna Slowikova  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:22
English to Czech
+ ...
No title of my reply Oct 12, 2015

Robert Rietvelt wrote:

.... well, although I am a 'one man company' (called ZZP'er in Dutch = independent entrepreneur without personell), for the Dutch law I am a company, and I am paying my taxes accordingly.

I use gmail under my own domain (as explained before), so the mail you receive is under my name (not gmail). And although I do understand your conceirns, gmail does offer me all the possibilities I need.

So, should I take another mail-provider just because....?

[Edited at 2015-10-11 20:03 GMT]


I also use gmail address, as well as other free one. But I think what Enrique and others mean here by a "company" are translation agencies. When an agency sends emails from a gmail or hotmail address it's very reasonable to be suspicious. And the reason is not only that they're free but that those two don't disclose the sender's IP, so they're a perfect tool for scammers.

I'd also like add to the rule "My name is X." It looks like almost all scams begin this way but not the other way round. I know a legitimate UK agency where the PMs, when they contact you for the 1st time, will begin like this. And as a result I'm always on the verge of sending the message to spam, when I think of scrolling down and there it is - the logo of one of my best clients! But I don't know how typical it is, to write your name at the beginning of a written communication, to me it looks rather weird...


 
Tony M
Tony M
France
Local time: 11:22
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French to English
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SITE LOCALIZER
Names... and Gmail... Oct 12, 2015

Katarzyna Slowikova wrote:
...
I'd also like add to the rule "My name is X." It looks like almost all scams begin this way but not the other way round. ... But I don't know how typical it is, to write your name at the beginning of a written communication, to me it looks rather weird...


I too have received legitimate e-mails where the PM starts by introducing themselves, and I don't find it particularly "weird", in these days of more friendly commercial English — of course 40 years ago it would have been a no-no!

However, most such e-mails I have received are worded more professionally than just "My name is..." — which to me sounds like a schoolchild writing!

Changing the subject now to Gmail — after a period of using a Gmail address as a back-up, I have now stopped using it professionally, as I am deeply concerned about issues of client confidentiality, often the subject of an NDA.

Google reads all your e-mails!! OK, not by a human, but by some fiendishly clever computer algorithms that (supposedly) onklyè connect non-specific statistical information... BUT they DO read the contents of attachments. I discovered this at first hand when I was sent some particularly sensitive material by a customer (well buried in an attachment), and shortly afterwards, started receiving a deluge of 'targetted' adverts about exactly that subject matter!

So I think anyone using Gmail may well be running the risk of breaching NDAs they may have signed with their clients.


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 07:22
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
Just get solid contact information Oct 13, 2015

Kevin Fulton wrote:
However a combination of suspicious signs should give one pause.


If you ask for verifiable contact information and you verify it, you will be protected from scammers.

Honest clients will respect you if you do so, scammers will just vanish.

Regards,
Enrique


 
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