| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Is it scams that client asks interpreter to buy expensive recording equipment? Thread poster: cherrypick
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cherrypick
China
Local time: 18:54
English to Chinese
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Hi,
Client asks me to buy expensive recording equipment before working for them. They say they will pay me after I bought those things.
Is it scams?
I think usually interpreter earns $100 per hour, is it? How much do they probably earn for 10k words?
BR,
Ada
| | | | Lingua 5B 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 12:54
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| What kind of equipment? | Sep 21, 2022 |
What equipment? It seems from your post you are talking about remote interpreting.
| | | | Sadek_A
Local time: 14:54
English to Arabic
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Provide your own booth!
That was a requirement in a job several days ago here on "market-unregulated" proz.
A scammer? Maybe. A leech? Definitely.
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| Yes, it is a scam | Sep 21, 2022 |
This is interpreting, not studio recording of music, so the requirement for high-end recording equipment just doesn't make sense, and even if it did, you'd have to have a studio to match it.
[Edited at 2022-09-21 18:29 GMT]
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 12:54
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| High-end equipment | Sep 21, 2022 |
High-end equipment is required in conference interpreting setting (onsite) and is taken care by technicians. Interpreters don’t deal with it, except for using it of course.
It does not make sense if you are interpreting from your room. As the rest of your equipment does not match it.
We cannot give you the pricing as it depends on so many factors. But $100/hr is probably not likely if you work via an agency. The meeting needs to be highly important and your language p... See more High-end equipment is required in conference interpreting setting (onsite) and is taken care by technicians. Interpreters don’t deal with it, except for using it of course.
It does not make sense if you are interpreting from your room. As the rest of your equipment does not match it.
We cannot give you the pricing as it depends on so many factors. But $100/hr is probably not likely if you work via an agency. The meeting needs to be highly important and your language pair/subject expertise in great shortage.
Actually I had direct clients paying me refunds for some tools. But those were trusted clients.
If somebody offers you something like that, tell them to purchase the equipment for you, and you will refund it on your first invoice to them. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 06:54
Japanese to English
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| "Is it scams?" | Sep 21, 2022 |
Yes. And someone needs to edit these questions or find someone who is competent in English.
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:54
Serbian to English
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| Kind of, but not really not a "proper scam" | Sep 22, 2022 |
Assuming they are not the ones selling (directly or indirectly) this expensive equipment, it's not really your average run of the mill scam.
It's more like extreme penny-pinching that would make any psychopath green with envy.
They are probably pitching to their potential clients as their Unique Selling Point that all remote interpreting is done in High Quality sound, with state of the art equipment.
But they don't want to spend a penny on that, they want Y... See more Assuming they are not the ones selling (directly or indirectly) this expensive equipment, it's not really your average run of the mill scam.
It's more like extreme penny-pinching that would make any psychopath green with envy.
They are probably pitching to their potential clients as their Unique Selling Point that all remote interpreting is done in High Quality sound, with state of the art equipment.
But they don't want to spend a penny on that, they want YOU to take on yourself all the financial burden of that - invest a lot and then get paid per minute barely above minimum wage if and when they need you. And if your expensive equipment starts collecting dust, why would they care?
Would you want to have anything to do with people like that?
[Edited at 2022-09-22 01:07 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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cherrypick
China
Local time: 18:54
English to Chinese
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TOPIC STARTER | Recording kits | Sep 22, 2022 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
What equipment? It seems from your post you are talking about remote interpreting.
A microphone (TELEFUNKEN U47 Microphone), a headphone (Sennheiser -HD280PRO), and a pop filter (the Earamble studio microphone pop filter)
I don't understand their behavior, how can they profit from this?
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 11:54
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Pay to work? | Sep 22, 2022 |
I recommend you to read this:
2.2. The pay-to-work scam (back to top)
The pay-to-work scam involves a fake client/employer —either an entirely fake one or somebody pretending to represent a real company— offering excellent working conditions, usually with a very long recruiting process involved. After stringing you along for a while, the client/employer will spring one last requirement before everything is set —a deposit, transaction or payment of some kind.... See more I recommend you to read this:
2.2. The pay-to-work scam (back to top)
The pay-to-work scam involves a fake client/employer —either an entirely fake one or somebody pretending to represent a real company— offering excellent working conditions, usually with a very long recruiting process involved. After stringing you along for a while, the client/employer will spring one last requirement before everything is set —a deposit, transaction or payment of some kind.
The most common variants include:
a. Buying a software tool in order to work, as explained here.
https://www.proz.com/about/translator-scam-alerts ▲ Collapse
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:54
Serbian to English
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| just ignore them / block them | Sep 22, 2022 |
cherrypick wrote: Lingua 5B wrote:
What equipment? It seems from your post you are talking about remote interpreting. A microphone (TELEFUNKEN U47 Microphone), a headphone (Sennheiser -HD280PRO), and a pop filter (the Earamble studio microphone pop filter) I don't understand their behavior, how can they profit from this?
While the Sennheiser HD280PRO is a reasonable choice, the TELEFUNKEN U47 Microphone (£8,340.05GBP https://reverb.com/item/44509131-telefunken-u47-microphone ) is a totally pointless overkill.
Also, if you insist on top sound quality you also need a reliable high speed Internet connection, otherwise the high quality equipment is just wasted. No mention of that?
Whatever is their logic (unrealistic amateurs, some kind of scammers, ?? ), there's no point wasting your breath on them - just ignore them / block them.
| | | | | Just curious... | Sep 25, 2022 |
cherrypick wrote: Lingua 5B wrote:
What equipment? It seems from your post you are talking about remote interpreting. A microphone (TELEFUNKEN U47 Microphone), a headphone (Sennheiser -HD280PRO), and a pop filter (the Earamble studio microphone pop filter) I don't understand their behavior, how can they profit from this?
Did they tell you to purchase it from a specific source?
Or you're free to get it where and how you want?
In any case, I agree with the overall consensus here that it's best to run away from such offers as far as you can. You won't earn money with them.
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| Three ways this could go | Sep 25, 2022 |
cherrypick wrote:
I don't understand their behavior, how can they profit from this?
I can think of three common ways they could profit.
Option 1: You buy the equipment and they ask you to send it to them for "configuration" or "installation" or whatever. Then you never hear from them again.
Option 2: They send you a large check/cheque (far more than you spent) to cover your expenses and ask you to wire the remainder back to them. Since you are eager to claw back over $8000 in pricey equipment, you quickly comply and never hear from them again. Classic overpayment scam.
Option 3: You baulk at paying that much money for equipment, so they send you money to pay for your costs. The rest is the same as for option 2.
In any case you have nothing to gain from continuing to entertain these jokers, so just cut your losses.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 12:54
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Recording kits? | Sep 26, 2022 |
Are you doing voice overs? You mentioned interpreting in the first post, voice over is something else entirely.
Yes, voice overs require studio quality and professional equipment (your charge will reflect that too). But it seems you are talking about interpreting, so it’s all very confusing.
Anyway, I would advise to just let it go.
| | | | | Is it scams that client asks interpreter to buy expensive recording equipment? | Sep 26, 2022 |
Not necessarily, but it is far from normal. I would take the advices of the colleagues, forget them and move on.
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