How to Avoid Being Swindled by a Translation Agency?
A swindle is a type of theft of a person’s property. This is why it is classified as a crime. It is also called fraud, scam or con, illegal activities with which it shares many similarities.
A swindle affects assets or patrimony. There are various types of swindles that damage an individual, company or organization. But how can we avoid being the victim of fraud in the case of translations?
Translating is an activity that can be performed remotely by a company or organization which in the industry is known as an agency. To carry out a translation some type of compensation –usually monetary— is required. This is what opens the door to fraud.
To avoid being a victim of this crime, there are several considerations we must keep in mind. Below we offer some ideas to remember before making full payment of a translation and thus prevent theft.
What Is a Translation Fraud?
As mentioned previously, a swindle consists of cheating a person after promising to deliver a service. In the case of a translation fraud, it occurs when the agency hired to do a translation never hands in the text after receiving financial compensation for it.
Such action can damage individuals and economic sectors. In effect, not only the person that paid for the translation is affected. There can also be collateral damage, including the translation industry. This, because the victim will put the blame on the industry as a whole, thus damaging its reputation.
In a related matter, the person will communicate this bad experience to its social acquaintances, generating a sort of “snowball effect”. In effect, frauds can have collateral implications.
How is a Translation Fraud Carried Out?
There are several modus operandi of fraudulent activities, such as the following:
A swindler adopts a fake identity by obtaining a forged studies certificate and lying in his CV regarding his credentials.
He undertakes a deficient translation job by using an automatic translation program. There have even been cases in which they use another individual to translate, who in the end does not obtain payment for his services.
Afterwards, when the deficient job or lack of payment is discovered, and a complaint is made to the middleman, the swindler simply disappears or makes threats.
This is not only hazardous to an individual but also to translation professionals, consumers and the reputation of agencies and companies that follow high ethical standards.
How to Avoid Being the Victim of a Swindle?
Trust is at the core of social relations, and it can be damaged by the acts of pseudo professionals. To prevent being swindled, below we give you some suggestions to maintain trust that you will obtain the product or service you require in a timely manner.
Information
Accurate company information is vital for consumer confidence. When a translation agency offers you a service, first check out its social media, webpage and all related forms of contact and authorizations, such as telephone number, email, address, contact data, permits from the Ministry of the Interior, professional license, company registries, affiliations to business chambers, etcetera.
The more data of this type that is available, the more confident you will be that you are dealing with a legitimate agency. In particular, put special attention on assuring yourself that all data coincides with that communicated publicly.
User Comments
Word-of-mouth is the most powerful advertising there is and social media makes the job easier. Before placing an order, check out comments in Google, Instagram, Facebook and other social media with respect to the translation agency you are planning to hire.
In general, social media sites include a “comments” section where the user can give an opinion on the service received, which can be rated with a certain number of “stars”. Also, often it is possible to leave a comment. This can be a guide regarding the quality of service provided.
Service Catalogue
Often companies provide a list of the products and services they offer, in which each is described. Sometimes they also include examples.
Several translation and interpretation agencies also provide a service catalogue that includes comments of persons that have used their services. We recommend asking for such catalogue to learn more about their work and evaluate it with respect with your requirements.
Payment
Before giving any type of monetary compensation, research the agency’s licenses and permits issued by government authorities. Most translation agencies make that information public. For example, you can see if the translation agency is a properly constituted as a corporation and if it is registered before the ministries of Labor and Finance.
Many companies prefer to make one or two payments for the work they request. We recommend that you pay in two or three installments, unless you have full confidence in the translation agency. So, pay the first installment when the service is hired and the remaining installments upon delivery.
At Servicio Lingüístico Empresarial we have the ISO 17100 Translation Services certification, which is given to translation agencies and to companies with an international development department that usually manage their own translations. With this certification clients, have confidence that we are fully capable of performing high-quality translation services.
Also, we are affiliated with the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico A.C., an organization that promotes US-Mexico trade and business links and the adoption by its members of good governance and transparency practices.
You can visit our webpage to learn more about our product and service catalogue. Also, ask online for a price quote or get in touch with us to learn more.
We look forward to supporting you!
