If you offer other services like I do you may become a target for scammers.
Here’s a email that I received and at first it seem believable.
Hello ,
- Please do you offer Human translation services from English to French and Spanish languages ?*
If yes, please get back to me asap because i am in need of your services.
Anticipating your usual swift response in due course.
Stay safe and blessed,
Mark Weiss
What he wanted was to have a 180 page dissertation created in the Spring 2017 translated from English to Spanish & also to French.
And then the final email came & I knew is was a scam because he made up this story where I had to pay someone else using the check/credit card that he was going to pay me with.
Dear Alan ,
Thanks so much for everything, its greatly appreciated as well I received the invoice. Much as I would have really loved to speak with you directly, i cant for now because I am presently in the hospital undergoing tests for my forthcoming surgery that will come up in the next few days to correct my hearing problem ( after which I believe I will be speaking freely again ) . I will be paying your deposit prepayment of $7,355 ( payment for Spanish translation first ) and just hope you will be doing a marvelous job for me as i have hired a Web Designer but i will be needing your assistance because he just sent me a message that he does not have access to credit card reader and i need to pay him the sum of $8,200 , so i will like you to help me add up his fee with your deposit payment and you can have everything done directly from you ( he will also upload the materials you translated on the website ) and am ready for any charges attached to have everything done perfectly which means you will need to send an invoice of $15,855 . Below you have the breakdown of the extra amount ( Web design payment ) I will be paying with your service charges after which you will help send the $8,200 to the Web Designer
Extra amount Charges Break down…
( 1 ) $8,200 …to be sent to the Web Designer
( 2 ) $300 …for you as gift for helping me out with everything a
( 3 ) Total extra charges…$8,500
( 4 ) Deposit prepayment for your services …$7,355
( 5 ) Total amount you`ll put on invoice …$15,855
Once I receive a confirmation email from you that you can help me out with everything, ill want you to send me an invoice of $15,855 for your payment/ Web Designers payment . So once the payment clears in your account, youll help send the Web Designers payment of $8,200. Once we complete the Spanish payment , I will pay instantly for the French translation ( $7,355 ) Thanks once more as I anticipate your usual swift response in due course.
Stay blessed,
Mark Weiss
In conclusion: Never, ever pay a third party using someone else money. As their money will be fake, the fake check bounced, credit card rejected after a week and you already sent your good money to somebody. Educate yourself by reading the new/old scam on Reddit.com r/scam