Dear ATINS Members and Friends,

We would like to advise you of a common scam that appears to be making the rounds again: The Cheque Overpayment Scam. The fraudsters behind this scam normally approach translators but any business can be affected.

What the scam typically “looks” like:

A “client” approaches you for a quote. You agree on a price and turnaround time. The “client” says they can only pay by cheque (giving some excuse why). When you receive the cheque, you see that it is for more money than what was agreed to. The “client” has some excuse for the overpayment and then asks for you to send the difference back. The unsuspecting translator returns the difference back to the “client” or the “client’s colleague.” Eventually, the bank determines that the cheque was fraudulent. You are now responsible for paying back the reversed funds and any related fees to your bank, and that “client” has disappeared with your legitimate money in their pocket.

The names, emails, stories and excuses the fraudsters use for the Cheque Overpayment Scam are always different and ever-evolving. The stories may even seem elaborate and convincing. But while the stories change, the motive of the fraudster does not: they just want your money.

How to protect yourself:

• Do not accept any overpayments. If a client has sent you too much money, refuse to accept it. Do not cash the cheque under any circumstances. Return it to the sender and report the incident to the authorities.

• Do not accept payment by cheque, especially from unknown or first-time clients. There are more reliable methods of payment including Interac e-transfer, PayPal that can be used.

• Do not begin any work until you have received payment and it has officially cleared your account. Note: the bank can come back many months later and tell you a cheque was actually fraudulent.

• Do not feel pressured to “act now”. Fraudsters will use pressure tactics and quick turnaround times against you.

What to do if you have received an email you suspect is an overpayment scam:

• Don’t respond to the email.

• Report the email to the Canadian Government’s Spam Reporting Centre and/or the Anti-Fraud Centre. Spam isn’t just “annoying, unwanted” emails. It is also defined as “false or misleading electronic representations.”

If you believe you have already fallen victim to a scam, please report this to the following authorities:

• Your local police’s non-emergency line.

• The Provincial Police’s non-emergency line.

• The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Finally, if you’re aware of any other fraudulent schemes where translators and/or interpreters are targeted, please let us know.

ATINS

ATINS held its 2018 AGM on May 31 at the Museum of Natural History in Halifax.

Sixteen members attended and enjoyed a small buffet of Chinese food.

The agenda included a short presentation on the new website and its features. Final adjustments are being made and soon the site functionalities should afford the association many benefits.

It was also the occasion to announce the names of the three new certified members who received their certificates this year.

We are very pleased to welcome Rima Assouad (English-French), Catharine Lailson (Spanish-English), and André Muise (French-English). Congratulations to these new Certified Members.

Halifax, NS – The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia announced the launch of its new website today, the culmination of a process spanning over ten months. The new website features a modernized look and a variety of new features and enhancements for the benefit of the public, the membership and the Board of Directors.

ATINS contracted Halifax-based web development firm 3 o'clock Communications for their website overhaul. The new site is simple, streamlined, user-friendly and cross-platform. 

For the general public, the new website features a shorter and more intuitive directory navigation, and boosts the ATINS brand with a cutting-edge look-and-feel. “Most of our site visitors are looking for a translator in a particular language combination. We wanted to provide the shortest and most intuitive path to that information,” notes Patrick Yancey, ATINS past President.

Members will enjoy added value in the form of a member portal for account and profile management, while ATINS board members will benefit from enhanced automation. “Members can log into the new site and renew their membership, apply for certification exams, manage and update their profiles, and much more,” adds Eva Osorio-Nieto, website project manager and past Vice President of Professional Affairs.

“We owe a special thanks to Eva Osorio, Catharine Lailson and Sylvain Filion for all of their hard work mapping out processes, gathering forms and documents, preparing content and meeting with the designers,” offers Bassima Jurdak-O’Brien, ATINS President. “ATINS now has a website that will serve us well for many years to come.”

The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia (ATINS) is a member of the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC), which is a member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT). ATINS attests the competence of its certified members and informs the public of the availability of its members' services. It provides its members with opportunities for mutual support and professional development, and speaks on their behalf in local, provincial and national fora.