Today, I feel compelled to raise serious awareness about a highly deceptive scam I personally encountered. This fraudulent scheme poses as a legitimate translation job but is, in fact, a meticulously orchestrated trap designed to exploit translators—both financially and emotionally.

The Offer That Seemed Too Good to Be True

I received what appeared to be an exceptional offer:
US$2,800 to translate the first 20 pages of an economics book within 48 hours.
The total word count was about 9,000 words—not unreasonable. The file was in PDF format, which I confirmed I could convert into Word for editing.

However, I was traveling—staying in Chennai and preparing to head to Pondicherry—so I initially declined due to the tight deadline.

Shortly after, I received a follow-up message:
"We can extend the deadline to five days."
The timing coincided with my birthday, and I let my guard down. Thinking of it as an unexpected gift, I accepted the assignment. A formal purchase order (PO) was issued—another convincing detail.

“Professional” Communication—Until the Trap Closed

Throughout the project, I received polite daily progress check-ins from someone claiming to be the project manager. Once I submitted the completed translation, I was informed that payment had been processed through a platform called Global Capital Prime, and I was instructed to open an account to access the funds.

The platform looked legitimate:
It showed a deposit of $2,960 (the agreed $2,800 plus an apparent “refundable IMF code fee”) and listed PayPal, Wise, and Japanese bank transfers as withdrawal options.

But when I attempted to transfer the funds, an error popped up:

“An IMF code is required to proceed.”

The Real Face of the Fraud Emerges

When I contacted the so-called project manager and “account manager,” I was suddenly redirected to Telegram, where I was told to speak with the finance department.

And then came the final blow:

"To release the funds, you need to pay $125 to obtain the IMF code. The amount will be refunded immediately."

That was the tipping point.
The scam had revealed its true nature.

Despite repeatedly asking for payment via PayPal or Wise, they insisted:

“We’ve already paid you. The only way to access the funds is by entering the IMF code.”

It was a classic advance-fee scam, disguised with unusual sophistication.

Summary of the Scam's Modus Operandi

To help prevent others from falling victim, here’s how the scam works:

• Job offer arrives via email, branded with a major translation company’s logo
• Sender’s address is a Gmail account (easy to miss—critical oversight)
• All communication is moved to WhatsApp
• Fake identities are used throughout:
  • Client: Alex Greenwood
  • Project Manager: Miguel Gallardo
  • Account Representative: Francine Christopher
• Deadline is unrealistically short (e.g., 48 hours)
• Abnormally high rate: $2,800 for 20 pages (~9,000 words)
• Formal PO issued to build credibility
• Daily check-ins build a false sense of trust
• After delivery, payment is “processed” via Global Capital Prime
• Platform fakes a deposit (the money only appears on-screen)
• Withdrawals trigger an IMF code requirement
• Helpdesk is non-functional, and user is rerouted to Telegram
• There, you're told:

• “Pay $125 for the IMF code—it will be refunded immediately.”

This exact scam has already victimized others.
A report on r/TranslationStudies describes a translator defrauded after delivering 50 pages and 22,000 words.

Final Thoughts: What I Learned, and What You Must Know

Fortunately, I did not lose any money. But I did lose many hours of sincere, focused work—time and energy I’ll never get back.

I share this not out of frustration alone, but to issue a clear and urgent warning to fellow translators, freelancers, and anyone susceptible to this tactic.

This scam weaponizes your professionalism and trust. It pretends to respect your time and talent—then exploits both.

I will be reporting this incident to relevant fraud and cybersecurity authorities.
And I encourage everyone to share this warning widely so that others can recognize the red flags before it’s too late.

Watch Out for These RED FLAGS

• Offers that are “too good to be true”
• Urgent deadlines with no room for negotiation
• Gmail addresses posing as trusted companies
• Pressure to use unknown payment platforms
• Errors like “IMF code required” to access payment
• Any upfront payment request to receive your own earnings

Please share this with fellow translators and freelancers.
Let’s stop this scam before it traps someone else.