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SCAM: FEA / WTACA - and a new reincarnation, Successful Translators Organization (STO) / Intlangua
Thread poster: Maria Hoskins
Maria Hoskins
Maria Hoskins  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
Feb 8, 2012

Received this email today:

Dear,



Thank you for your email .



We are happy to inform you, FEA Translation and Language Solutions confirm acceptance on said subject concerning the cooperation with you, we agree to pay reasonable rate per source word.


We, FEA Translation & Language Solutions accept to cooperate only with WTACA verified members.

WTACA is an international Organization focusing on tr
... See more
Received this email today:

Dear,



Thank you for your email .



We are happy to inform you, FEA Translation and Language Solutions confirm acceptance on said subject concerning the cooperation with you, we agree to pay reasonable rate per source word.


We, FEA Translation & Language Solutions accept to cooperate only with WTACA verified members.

WTACA is an international Organization focusing on translation certifications, for more details you can visit their web site www.wtaca.eu.tc


Could you please send us a scanned copy of your WTACA membership, as soon as we receive it, we will send you our database form for translators which we would appreciate you completing, signing and returning to us.



We would be delighted that you join us as a new Translator, your role is critical in fulfilling the mission of our Company.



We, FEA Translation and Language Solutions are here to support you so, please know that you can call on us to assist you. We are looking forward to start working together.



We recognise that our greatest asset is our translators; It is our people who deliver brilliant work. Who give the company its personality, who shape its culture, and who innovate. That´s why we believe in treating our people with respect, looking after their welfare and allowing them the freedom to be themselves, to flourish, and maximise their potential moreover to produce the best results for the Company & clients. It is our policy to assist our people to enable them to achieve their aims and aspirations.



We are enthusiastically looking forward to this project and we would be pleased about having the opportunity to work together.



Your satisfaction is important to us. We welcome your comments and suggestions.



All the best,
___________________
Team External Partners

image.png

image.png





It costs €100 to join WTACA and I've never heard of the dudes... I am relatively new to the translation field so I would welcome some input from more experienced members.

Maria
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Tony M
Tony M
France
Local time: 19:00
Member
French to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Don't touch it with a barge pole! Feb 8, 2012

It certainly smells of a scam, and it is so poorly written, I for one would bin it at once; I wouldn't even have bothered to go and investigate the link!

Personally, I'd not waste another moment's time on it.


 
Enrique Cavalitto
Enrique Cavalitto  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 14:00
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
Signs of danger Feb 8, 2012

Maria Hoskins wrote:
Dear,


Just "dear", no name.


Thank you for your email .

We are happy to inform you, XXXX confirm acceptance on said subject concerning the cooperation with you, we agree to pay reasonable rate per source word.


If you did not contact them previously asking to be considered as service provider then this is a clear sign of danger. Thanks for a mail you didn't send? Confirmation for an non-existing application?



We, XXXX accept to cooperate only with WTACA verified members.

WTACA is an international Organization focusing on translation certifications, for more details you can visit their web site www.wtaca.eu.tc

Could you please send us a scanned copy of your WTACA membership, as soon as we receive it, we will send you our database form for translators which we would appreciate you completing, signing and returning to us.


... and now you need to pay a membership to be considered. Red lights ablaze by now.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Scam Feb 8, 2012

Delete and forget. Thanks for sharing!

 
Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
French to English
+ ...
The scam test Feb 8, 2012

If it looks like a scam, swims like a scam, and quacks like a scam, then it probably is a scam.



 
Maria Hoskins
Maria Hoskins  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all! Feb 8, 2012

Yes, it definitely quacks...

I was just wondering though whether WTACA is a front or to some extent genuine...

Maria


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 19:00
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Off to the bin right away Feb 9, 2012

Tony M wrote:

It certainly smells of a scam, and it is so poorly written, I for one would bin it at once; I wouldn't even have bothered to go and investigate the link!

Personally, I'd not waste another moment's time on it.


You've spoken/written my mind, Tony.


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Spanish to English
+ ...
Googled WTACA Feb 9, 2012

And all that came up was the WEST TEXAS AREA CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION! Nothing about anything remotely connected with translation.

Interestingly, the quality of the scamming texts is improving, with fewer mistakes and giveaways each time, which underlines the importance of reporting any suspect emails or similar overtures.

Thanks for sharing your concern


 
Maria Hoskins
Maria Hoskins  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
No Comment Feb 10, 2012

Dear Maria del Pilar Hoskins,

You contacted us requesting a job, why are you giving a bad image about our company and talking on proz that we are scammers ?

We didn´t force you to work for us, did we ? You are violating an international right, it is called in Law Smearing in Public.

we are asking you to remove your comment on PROZ otherwise we will be obliged to go with you to the court.

we have your address : 4 Halsey Park,London Colney, H
... See more
Dear Maria del Pilar Hoskins,

You contacted us requesting a job, why are you giving a bad image about our company and talking on proz that we are scammers ?

We didn´t force you to work for us, did we ? You are violating an international right, it is called in Law Smearing in Public.

we are asking you to remove your comment on PROZ otherwise we will be obliged to go with you to the court.

we have your address : 4 Halsey Park,London Colney, Herts, AL2 1B

Please be aware this is our first and last warning.


All the best,
___________________
Team External Partners

image.png

image.png

I'm awaiting a reply from ProZ
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kchansen
kchansen
Local time: 19:00
English to Danish
That's strange... Feb 10, 2012

I checked the company's webpage and looked for some of their addresses on Google Maps. The addresses in the US, Australia, and England that I checked were all in residential neighbourhoods.

Impressing list of addresses, though - Australia, England, the U.S., France, Italy, Belgium! Still, they demand that you have a paid membership with a relatively unknown Translator's association with a website in the Turks and Caicos Islands (ends in ".tc"). And are quick to launch the intimidati
... See more
I checked the company's webpage and looked for some of their addresses on Google Maps. The addresses in the US, Australia, and England that I checked were all in residential neighbourhoods.

Impressing list of addresses, though - Australia, England, the U.S., France, Italy, Belgium! Still, they demand that you have a paid membership with a relatively unknown Translator's association with a website in the Turks and Caicos Islands (ends in ".tc"). And are quick to launch the intimidation campaign, too.

I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole even if they should turn out to be legitimate!
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khaldoun Dekmak
khaldoun Dekmak
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:00
English to Arabic
+ ...
Use your judgement! Feb 10, 2012

All I can say is: why would a company who says it is "the third largest integrated energy company in the U.S. and the fifth largest refiner in the world" require the membership of "Wtaca" which is not even recognized by google?

 
Philippe Danjoux
Philippe Danjoux  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 19:00
Member (2002)
English to French
+ ...
Malicious site Feb 11, 2012

Trying the link, the address is reputed malicious by my avast! Antivirus.

 
Charlie Bavington
Charlie Bavington  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:00
French to English
Coo, they sound dead scary Feb 11, 2012

Maria Hoskins wrote:

You are violating an international right, it is called in Law Smearing in Public.

Hmmm. That kind of thing gives you the measure of what you're dealing with.

Nonetheless, I think in fairness you could have mentioned that you had contacted them first, that the email was not just spam.

I checked the wtaca website, and the jobs they are offering are NOT going to keep body and soul together in a place like London Colney (just up the road from me - in fact, I'll be there on Monday!). That alone is reason enough to avoid them and anyone associated with them. That and the lack of any contact details or merest indication of where they are even based (presumably in the eurozone).

It's certain an iffy kind of relationship with FEA, whoever they are. I personally wouldn't call it a scam, since no deception appears to be involved in getting you to part with your money, but theen I think the word scam is bandied around far to freely in general to cover anything a little unusual.

I'd still avoid it for about a dozen other reasons, though.


 
Liviu-Lee Roth
Liviu-Lee Roth
United States
Local time: 13:00
Romanian to English
+ ...
Dear Maria, Feb 11, 2012

Your last post confirmed an older suspicion I had that some of the scams that target our industry originate within our industry, sent by less-than-honorable translators.
The threatening message they sent you lacks legal knowledge and is ill conceived (there is no such a "Law Smearing in Public" and what is the international "right" you violated ?)

I noticed that since I documented some of the scams, these crooks put my name on their "black list" and stopped sending me new offe
... See more
Your last post confirmed an older suspicion I had that some of the scams that target our industry originate within our industry, sent by less-than-honorable translators.
The threatening message they sent you lacks legal knowledge and is ill conceived (there is no such a "Law Smearing in Public" and what is the international "right" you violated ?)

I noticed that since I documented some of the scams, these crooks put my name on their "black list" and stopped sending me new offers, although my next-door neighbour who is a translator, keeps receiving them.
This is an overt act of discrimination on their part and I am going to sue them !
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Maria Hoskins
Maria Hoskins  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 19:00
Member (2011)
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks once again Feb 11, 2012

Charlie Bavington wrote:

Maria Hoskins wrote:

You are violating an international right, it is called in Law Smearing in Public.

Hmmm. That kind of thing gives you the measure of what you're dealing with.

Nonetheless, I think in fairness you could have mentioned that you had contacted them first, that the email was not just spam.

I checked the wtaca website, and the jobs they are offering are NOT going to keep body and soul together in a place like London Colney (just up the road from me - in fact, I'll be there on Monday!). That alone is reason enough to avoid them and anyone associated with them. That and the lack of any contact details or merest indication of where they are even based (presumably in the eurozone).

It's certain an iffy kind of relationship with FEA, whoever they are. I personally wouldn't call it a scam, since no deception appears to be involved in getting you to part with your money, but theen I think the word scam is bandied around far to freely in general to cover anything a little unusual.

I'd still avoid it for about a dozen other reasons, though.


Well I'm relatively new to this gig only been translating for about a year now, though I'm not so young any more... It was just nice to have some confirmation and I never ceased to be impressed at the expertise in many fields shown by my colleagues.

As for replying to them, well I checked them out but McAfee also said they were suspect so I stopped right there and posted here because just wanted to be sure and alert others...

What are you doing in LC Charlie?

Probably scam is too strong a word but they're not bona fide clients either...


 
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SCAM: FEA / WTACA - and a new reincarnation, Successful Translators Organization (STO) / Intlangua







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