| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Translation agency requests a copy ID/driver’s licence and a scan of a bank statement Thread poster: Tatjana Lauber
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Tatjana Lauber 
Switzerland
Local time: 15:44
Member (2011)
English to German
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Dear all,
I've been approached by a UK-based translation agency that would like to work with me. This agency has an excellent rating on the Blue Board and the communication is very polite and professional.
To complete the on-boarding process they require a copy/scan of my ID or my driver's license as well as a copy/scan of a bank statement/proof of beneficiary bank details. They also advised me to conceal sensitive details. So on the ID they just want to see my name, ph... See more Dear all,
I've been approached by a UK-based translation agency that would like to work with me. This agency has an excellent rating on the Blue Board and the communication is very polite and professional.
To complete the on-boarding process they require a copy/scan of my ID or my driver's license as well as a copy/scan of a bank statement/proof of beneficiary bank details. They also advised me to conceal sensitive details. So on the ID they just want to see my name, photo and nationality and on the bank documents I can conceal account numbers, SWIFT, IBAN.
I must say that I've been in the business for 15 years and I was never asked to provide my ID. At the same time it's absolutely normal to provide bank data to receive payment while nobody ever wanted to see a bank statement.
They also sent me their "certificate of incorporation" as a gesture of good faith.
Is this normal in the UK/with UK-based companies?
Best regards.
Tatjana ▲ Collapse
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I have been translating for over 30 years and I have been asked to provide proof of my identity just one or two times (as far as I can remember I obliged in one of those cases) but I have never been asked for proof of beneficiary bank details. Some agencies seem to be driven by bureaucracy…
| | | | Kristopher Brame
United States
Local time: 09:44
Member (2018)
German to English
+ ...
| Never heard of this | Oct 26, 2022 |
I have worked with two agencies from the UK, and neither asked for me that.
A while back, an agency from New Zealand asked me for a picture of my passport. She said it was needed for a background check in New Zealand even thought I had never been there. I thought it was very strange, but they had (and still have) a perfect score on the Blue board with glowing reviews, a legitimate website and I was being written from the email address on the website. So I thought it would okay, and ... See more I have worked with two agencies from the UK, and neither asked for me that.
A while back, an agency from New Zealand asked me for a picture of my passport. She said it was needed for a background check in New Zealand even thought I had never been there. I thought it was very strange, but they had (and still have) a perfect score on the Blue board with glowing reviews, a legitimate website and I was being written from the email address on the website. So I thought it would okay, and I sent a picture of the relevant page of my passport. She never wrote back. I wrote an email a week later to follow up, and she continued ignoring me. It was a very strange experience. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tatjana Lauber
Switzerland
Local time: 15:44
Member (2011)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
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Stepan Konev
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:44
English to Russian
| My wild guess | Oct 26, 2022 |
One of your working languages is Russian. Your name is Russian too. Probably they want to make sure that you have nothing to do with Russia*. This trend is very popular these days. And it appeared just recently, that is why you have never experienced this situation over your past 15 years. This is just my guess but it explains why they want to see your name, photo and nationality in a single document.
*A friend of mine told me that one of the major translation tool developers will unlock ... See more One of your working languages is Russian. Your name is Russian too. Probably they want to make sure that you have nothing to do with Russia*. This trend is very popular these days. And it appeared just recently, that is why you have never experienced this situation over your past 15 years. This is just my guess but it explains why they want to see your name, photo and nationality in a single document.
*A friend of mine told me that one of the major translation tool developers will unlock your account and continue to provide their services to you if you can demonstrate that you live outside of Russia (be it a bank statement, or a driving license, or a tenancy agreement).
[Edited at 2022-10-26 20:06 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 14:44
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Bank statement vs Bank details | Oct 26, 2022 |
Stepan Konev wrote:
One of your working languages is Russian. Your name is Russian too. Probably they want to make sure that you have nothing to do with Russia*. This trend is very popular these days. And it appeared just recently, that is why you have never experienced this situation over your past 15 years. This is just my guess but it explains why they want to see your name, photo and nationality in a single document.
Maybe it would be a good idea if those who are preaching inclusive language and the like would start thinking that this is also a form of discrimination, as well as many others.
To me, the translation agency wants a bank proof that includes only your bank details (name of the bank holder, IBAN, SWIFT, account number, bank address/name, etc.,) for the purpose of payment for translation services, which is quite different from asking for a bank statement. Maybe I am wrong, but that's my interpretation.
| | | | Tatjana Lauber
Switzerland
Local time: 15:44
Member (2011)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
In any case it's actually seems to be a good idea to check the nationality/country of residence for translation purposes. I once posted a job offer on Proz.com, looking for a Swiss medical translator (to support me in a complex project). I even received offers from Uganda. Strangely, the Swiss German from Uganda refused to communicate in German with me...
[Edited at 2022-10-26 21:10 GMT]
| | | | Tatjana Lauber
Switzerland
Local time: 15:44
Member (2011)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Bank statement | Oct 26, 2022 |
Apparently, it's to make sure, my bank and me are in the same country.
But still, how comes that all the others don't need this?
[Edited at 2022-10-26 20:49 GMT]
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| Verifications | Oct 26, 2022 |
No UK or other client has ever asked me to prove my bank account number. I would be wary of someone asking for all this.
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
In any case it's actually seems to be a good idea to check the nationality/country of residence for translation purposes.
The world is more complex than that. People can have double nationalities, either from birth or acquired later, and may not have native-equivalent skills in all the languages that correspond to their nationalities, while others may have abilities without the nationality. Many translators live outside their country of birth. It would hardly be reasonable to throw them all into unemployment because they dare to live in another country than their own.
Nothing beats checking the actual quality delivered. You can have translators with fine diplomas who tick all the boxes deliver a mess while someone who doesn't fit the stereotypes and has no diplomas may do a much better job. You simply can't measure quality in advance with such simplistic criteria.
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
Apparently, it's to make sure, my bank and me are in the same country.
Why would the bank and the translator have to be in the same country? We're not in North Korea.
Some agencies just seem to think they need to implement a formal government-style bureaucracy for everything to be 'official'. I can't stand that sort of thing and would rather avoid that sort of agency.
| | | | Tatjana Lauber
Switzerland
Local time: 15:44
Member (2011)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @Thomas T. Frost | Oct 26, 2022 |
Yes, this is true as well.
I guess they just need to make sure I'm actually the person behind the name and the CV?
On the other hand, the ID shouldn't be the only option to get there. And after all, with some talent in editing I guess it's easy to fake any copy of an ID, so what does it prove?
[Edited at 2022-10-26 21:27 GMT]
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Tatjana Lauber wrote:
I guess they just need to make sure I'm actually the person behind the name and the CV?
They could just write to you through your Proz profile contact form.
As you say, it's easy to fake documents. Some people just like bureaucracy.
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 09:44
Japanese to English
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| ID/driver's license | Oct 27, 2022 |
One word: don't. This happened to me with an Irish agency. They wanted a bank statement, a canceled check, a photo and many other things. When I asked why they wanted a bank statement, they said they were worried about money-laundering. Really? How many translators make enough to engage in money laundering? It is possible they want to use YOUR account to launder money. Again, don't.
I would be grateful if you could email me the address of the company. Thank you.
Michael Newton (Bosto... See more One word: don't. This happened to me with an Irish agency. They wanted a bank statement, a canceled check, a photo and many other things. When I asked why they wanted a bank statement, they said they were worried about money-laundering. Really? How many translators make enough to engage in money laundering? It is possible they want to use YOUR account to launder money. Again, don't.
I would be grateful if you could email me the address of the company. Thank you.
Michael Newton (Boston USA) ▲ Collapse
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Sadek_A
Local time: 17:44
English to Arabic
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Tatjana Lauber wrote:
I've been approached by a UK-based translation agency that would like to work with me.
You are advised to agree on rate first.
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
This agency has an excellent rating on the Blue Board and the communication is very polite and professional. They also sent me their "certificate of incorporation" as a gesture of good faith.
That's a good start.
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
To complete the on-boarding process they require a copy/scan of my ID or my driver's license. On the ID they just want to see my name, photo and nationality
Only after they've awarded you a worthy project, per a duly-issued, complete PO.
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
as well as a copy/scan of a bank statement/proof of beneficiary bank details. On the bank documents I can conceal account numbers, SWIFT, IBAN.
Now, things are starting to get weird. Why are account number, SWIFT, IBAN sensitive data? Agency needs them to send your payment, assuming it will be via bank transfer.
I would have imagined that opening&closing balances, transaction(s) description(s)/amount(s), fees, overdues and the likes are the data to be concealed.
| | | | | Same country? | Oct 27, 2022 |
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
Apparently, it's to make sure, my bank and me are in the same country.
I lived in Belgium for 30 years and when I decided in 2015 to move back to Portugal I kept my two bank accounts there, so it doesn't prove a thing...
| | | | Marjolein Snippe
Netherlands
Local time: 15:44
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Not too fishy | Oct 27, 2022 |
Tatjana Lauber wrote:
But still, how comes that all the others don't need this?
[Edited at 2022-10-26 20:49 GMT]
I think they may just be a bit overzealous and somebody has decided they need this step to make sure you are you. I don't think they *need* these documents from a regulatory perspective; as you said, in that case others would be asking for them too.
While it is true that there is no absolute guarantee, I suppose this would be another step that will help weed out impostors - who would go to these lengths to pretend to be a translator the aren't?
Anyway, as they have explicitly told you that you can (or should) conceal personal data, I don't think this is very fishy. In your case, I would probably grumble a bit to myself, cross my fingers that this client's normal jobs are interesting and standard procedures do not entail too much bureaucracy and send them the copies they request.
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