Strange email received Thread poster: Antonio Arizcun
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Antonio Arizcun 
Spain
Local time: 16:20
Member (2013)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hi all,
I have just received the following email, I certainly have never advertised my services as an outsourcer or ever had contact with this agency for that matter. It all sounds a bit strange to me, any suggestions?
"Hello,
Hope you are doing fine.
We have a project in ... in which we have to record 110
voices of Spanish people in local language. We would require the
support in arranging these 110 voices.
... See more Hi all,
I have just received the following email, I certainly have never advertised my services as an outsourcer or ever had contact with this agency for that matter. It all sounds a bit strange to me, any suggestions?
"Hello,
Hope you are doing fine.
We have a project in ... in which we have to record 110
voices of Spanish people in local language. We would require the
support in arranging these 110 voices.
Please see the below project specification:
- We would require 110 people who would come to our hired location
in ...
- We would record 20 people in one day so the project will run for
5 days to cover 110 people.
- From the location each day 20 people will sit in our hired
car with the recording equipment's.Each individual would record
the voice in the running car for approx 30-45 minutes. We will
provide the script in Spanish language.
- Should 50% male and 50% female.
- There is no specific qualification require for these 110
people,however, they should be able to read small sentences of 9
to 10 words.
- We require only 4 hours from each individual
Please advise if you would be able to arrange 110 people for us
and send us the costing per person. The costing should be in local
currency considering the hours per person required. If not 110
people, please let us know number of people you can arrange for us
and send the costing accordingly (in Local
Currency)
Your sooner reply would be appreciated." ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:20
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Check them out | Sep 5, 2013 |
Do they provide enough details about the company and location etc for you to be able to check them out?
It all sounds rather amateurish and ad hoc to me anyway, although I have worked on similar projects, usually for market research purposes. Organising 110 people as described sounds like a nightmare (especially if we have no guarantees of payment at the end of the job) and I don't really think they would be able to pay me enough to compensate for the uncertainty and hassle involved... See more Do they provide enough details about the company and location etc for you to be able to check them out?
It all sounds rather amateurish and ad hoc to me anyway, although I have worked on similar projects, usually for market research purposes. Organising 110 people as described sounds like a nightmare (especially if we have no guarantees of payment at the end of the job) and I don't really think they would be able to pay me enough to compensate for the uncertainty and hassle involved.
It could also simply be a scam. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Not so strange | Sep 5, 2013 |
They may have contacted you by Proz mail or other way, I usually request such request. Do your research, look for a BlueBoard ID, etc. If you are not sure, decline this job or request an advance payment
| | | | Antonio Arizcun
Spain
Local time: 16:20
Member (2013)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | They have a good rating on blue board | Sep 5, 2013 |
Thanks guys,
They seem to have good feedback from colleagues, I just thought the whole thing was a bit strange... How about the hired location / car, is that common practice? what kind of rate would be appropriate to charge for this kind of thing?
Thank you
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| Calibration for voice-recognition software | Sep 5, 2013 |
Some time ago, another agency has contacted me regarding this project (and today I got this message too). I have refused to take part in it, but at least the original agency gave me more information about the project - it was some kind of calibration for a voice-recognition software. That is why they needed broad sample of untrained voices.
Anyway, the original offer I got was quite ridiculous (some Amazon vouchers instead of payment), so probably they had hard time to find anybody ... See more Some time ago, another agency has contacted me regarding this project (and today I got this message too). I have refused to take part in it, but at least the original agency gave me more information about the project - it was some kind of calibration for a voice-recognition software. That is why they needed broad sample of untrained voices.
Anyway, the original offer I got was quite ridiculous (some Amazon vouchers instead of payment), so probably they had hard time to find anybody to take part in it. Maybe the client is now trying it again with a different agency - and maybe with bigger budget.
[Edited at 2013-09-05 09:30 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 15:20
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Why a freelance translator? | Sep 5, 2013 |
That's what seems odd to me, even if the job is legit. Wouldn't a media agency be the one to arrange something like that? Assuming the client doesn't speak Spanish, perhaps that's why they've contacted a translator, but there must be loads of media agencies in Spain with someone who can speak English at least as well as this writer.
It wouldn't involve you in any linguistic work at all, would it? You'd be spending all your time chasing resources, finances and dealing with logistics.... See more That's what seems odd to me, even if the job is legit. Wouldn't a media agency be the one to arrange something like that? Assuming the client doesn't speak Spanish, perhaps that's why they've contacted a translator, but there must be loads of media agencies in Spain with someone who can speak English at least as well as this writer.
It wouldn't involve you in any linguistic work at all, would it? You'd be spending all your time chasing resources, finances and dealing with logistics. I know what my reply would be. ▲ Collapse
| | | | EvaVer (X)
Local time: 16:20
Czech to French
+ ...
| I received the same e-mail, | Sep 5, 2013 |
only it says "Czech" instead of "Spanish". I just deleted it.
| | | | | the point is that it isn't a translation job | Sep 5, 2013 |
The question is...can you provide 110 people?
If it's going to take you as much effort to arrange the presence of 110 people as it would the agency, I can't even see the logic behind entertaining this thought or asking about rates.
This is not a job for a translator, or indeed for an interpreter. You don't have to be either to speak Spanish.
Are you a translator or a people-provider/events organizer? If the answer is the former, they have contacted the wrong per... See more The question is...can you provide 110 people?
If it's going to take you as much effort to arrange the presence of 110 people as it would the agency, I can't even see the logic behind entertaining this thought or asking about rates.
This is not a job for a translator, or indeed for an interpreter. You don't have to be either to speak Spanish.
Are you a translator or a people-provider/events organizer? If the answer is the former, they have contacted the wrong person and that's that. ▲ Collapse
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Antonio Arizcun
Spain
Local time: 16:20
Member (2013)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thanks everyone | Sep 5, 2013 |
You are just confirming what I suspected. I thought it all sounded a bit strange.
Marie-Helene that is an absolutely valid point except for the fact that, as a translator who is just beginning working professionally it can be very hard to find new clients so I am not in a position to reject any opportunity before at least considering it. It sounds clear to me now this is not for me anyway.
Thanks everyone again!
| | | | | Sorry Antonio | Sep 5, 2013 |
Maybe my message came across as a little harsh.
You are of course right to question anything that sounds even a little weird. It's better to question too much than too little. I must say that I was puzzled as to why an agency would contact a translator for this kind of job. It shows that they are unable to comprehend what a translator does.
For your own sanity though, it's worth holding out for jobs that are going to make the best use of your skills. Otherwise you could end up bein... See more Maybe my message came across as a little harsh.
You are of course right to question anything that sounds even a little weird. It's better to question too much than too little. I must say that I was puzzled as to why an agency would contact a translator for this kind of job. It shows that they are unable to comprehend what a translator does.
For your own sanity though, it's worth holding out for jobs that are going to make the best use of your skills. Otherwise you could end up being given the run-around and even losing money or jeopardizing your reputation.
Good luck!
MH ▲ Collapse
| | | | Antonio Arizcun
Spain
Local time: 16:20
Member (2013)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Not at all Mari Helene | Sep 5, 2013 |
Your advice was very welcome and I must add it was the right advice as well. If it sounds strange it normally is!
Regards,
Antonio
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I agree with Marie-Helene and I would just delete that email.
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| Got the message too | Sep 6, 2013 |
and inmediatly deleted it.
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 10:20
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Why they ask for translators | Sep 6, 2013 |
Maybe the reason they ask for translators is that they assume that your language skills are good enough to make arrangements with the 110 people they are looking for, and that in addition you can communicate with them in English -- that's assuming that they are legit, of course.
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