Scammed by SwordSaint: The Translator of M E M O R I Z E

Hi everyone;

I am an editor who worked with SwordSaint on the novel M E M O R I Z E until a few days ago. I haven't been paid for edited chapters, and SwordSaint no longer replies my discord messages, yet he's still releasing my edited chapters on his WordPress website. Despite my best attempts to shorten this, it'll probably still turn out fairly long, so get your popcorns... and pitchforks ready. But, before that...

Why I am putting this here: So that anyone who is considering working with SwordSaint will be forewarned of his sly nature.
My Question: How do paid editors and translators avoid getting scammed by their employer(s)?
Note: SwordSaint has deleted most of the messages that he sent to me on discord; he's no longer replying any new messages; he's still releasing my edited chapters, and he's restricted access to his NU profile. All these before I opened this topic.

Here's how it happened:​

A little over two weeks ago, SwordSaint opened a recruitment thread where he expressed his desire to continue the M E M O R I Z E novel and offered a paid role to any editor who wanted to work for him. I posted on the thread, got a reply from him (Proof 1: http://prntscr.com/kqd30a), took his test (Proof 2: http://prntscr.com/kqd3y6) and got the job (Proof 3: http://prntscr.com/kqd6ln and Proof 4: http://prntscr.com/kqd4ef).

SwordSaint offered me $5 per edited chapter—the same amount he paid his previous editors, according to him— and offered to increase the pay when the novel begins making money.

Before accepting the job, I told him my condition: I get paid every 2 weeks. (Which he stated that he had no problems with.)

He agreed, and we started working together.

Because the translations were so bad, making them difficult to edit, I would edit about 90% of each chapter, leave comments on the parts that made no sense, and wait for him to answer my questions that I left in comments before the chapter is deemed completely edited. (Proof 5: http://prntscr.com/kqdb8v, http://prntscr.com/kqdbte, and http://prntscr.com/kqdc5t.)

By Thursday, 30th June 2018, I had edited 14 chapters (10 chapters [c71 - c80] had been fully edited, and 4 chapters were 90% edited [c81 - c84], awaiting his answers to the comment questions.) (Proof 6: http://prntscr.com/kqdf14) Note: In proof 6, you would see that he's already deleted his part of our discord conversation.

On the same day, SwordSaint asked me to send him a Paypal request and I did—just for $1 so that he could verify that it's mine.

However, later on, SwordSaint informed me that he had made less than expected from his Patreon, so he may not pay me the full amount. I reminded him that he had agreed to pay me $5 for every edited chapter (If the novel made him money—aka Patreon— then he'd increase my pay from $5; however, with or without a good Patreon harvest, he'd still pay me the agreed amount of $5 per chapter).

That's where it all went downhill.

Since I had already fully edited 10 chapters (c71 - c80), I asked him to pay me $50, and that was after discarding the remaining 4 chapters which I had 90% edited (c81 - c84).

SwordSaint, who was supposed to pay me $50, told me that he'd pay me what he owed me on Sunday, 2nd September 2018, and he hasn't replied since then (Proof 7: http://prntscr.com/kqdnhu). Additionally, he continues to release my edited chapters on his website. Naturally, he has severed my access to the Google folders which he created, and that I worked on, for M E M O R I Z E. (Proof 8: http://prntscr.com/kqds0z)

So, there we have it.

I did tell you that this would be fairly long. I needed to put this out there to warn those who'd want to work with him in the future.

Sure enough, if he does pay me, I'll update here and ask a mod to take this down, but, honestly, it doesn't seem like he has any intention to. If he did, he wouldn't have deleted his part of the discord messages, and he'd still be replying my messages with updates.

If you read up to this point, kudos to you for your patience.

I'd still like those who translate and edit to grace my question with their answers: How do you avoid getting scammed by your employer(s)?

Update:
​

SwordSaint probably didn't expect me to create this because he paid as soon as he saw the outrage. I'd like to thank everyone who posted here as this thread caused enough backlash to SwordSaint that prompted him to pay quickly.

Thank you all.

Proof that he only just paid after the backlash:

 

Woah, stingy Sword Saint

 

Wow what a scum. Thanks for posting this and bringing forth this matter, worry not my friend justice will be brought.

Edit: maybe a written agreement between party's before working?

 

he must be raiding a sect now. . . .
but welp,
I think next time you should add something like money down every edited chap,
and avoid the bulk unless the employer can be trusted. . . (learned this on the red district. . .heeheheh)

 

He probably can't pay you, that's why people should not do a recruitment if they can't pay.

 

It requires trust, and swordsaint just lost all trust he had with this thread

 

Did you contact his previous editor?

 

written, signed, and Notarized contracts and documents stating the terms of employement clearly. burned once? shame on you, burned twice? shame on me.

 

*Leans on the 4th wall while munching popcorn*
Sigh! Money is the root of all evil.
If he was unable to pay because he did not make money, at least he could've had explained it. You deserved that.

 

Yeah, this is something I'm really considering doing, going forward.

I requested to be paid every 2 weeks because I feared that something like this may happen, but alas... I think this is pretty good idea.

No, I didn't, unfortunately.

Indeed. I have learned a very hard lesson.

 

If that were truly the case, then scum saint should had informed the editor beforehand but sword scum instead blocked the editor and deleted all records of conversation with him. That right there is downright suspicious if not criminal in an ethical sense. A pity, truly a pity. I didn't think there would be frauds or scammers in our community. Trolls and flamers, I understand but to involve another's effort and time wasted at the cost of mutual trust and livelihood (money), it saddens me though I probably don't care that much. Just knowing there are scum like sword saint profiting from such ungrateful acts sickens me.

Disclaimer: Assuming editor's statement is true, then sword saint is scum and if not, then we are being played by the editor. Either way, hope it's a misunderstanding if what not.

 

Since you probably live in different countries setting up a contract might not work. Moreover being paid up front is not a good idea either since some editors might try to scam translators like that.

In this case a list of translators (as well as editors, redrawers and other people who work on translating novels and manga) who tend to scam or make a rather bad job might be a good idea. This would make it easier to avoid these people.
In your situation I'd also post some of the chapters you have edited, to state that you won't let him earn money off of you. With the trust in him plummeting after this thread you might get some of the owed money via ad revenue thanks to people opting to read on your site. You can take them down and hand over the chapter once you reach the money he owes you, whether via ads or payment.

Hope this helps and good luck to you.

 

I don't know what the hell is happening here, but I already paid him. It's been a long time since I did.
I just wasn't online due to some reason, but I have paid him a long time back.
And Agent47 you could've just contacted me on my email if I hadn't replied to your discord message, there was no need to create such a huge mess.

 

I grab my popcorn

 

in my country (austria) it doesn't even have to be a notarized contract. If you can proof that an agreement has happened even a spoken agreement is binding. As such with the proof he brought out he could sue for his money if both of them loved here.
Not sure what it's like in other countries though.

 

indeed

but would he be able to post them? Don't the copyrights to the translation belong to the translator? or would the rights belong to translator and editor in this case?

 

I did some searching on google and discover a website called fileship.io that creates a paywall around your files. It is so that you can get your client to pay first before they can get their files. Other alternatives are link shortener with password or password-protect zip file. Give them the password only after they pay.

 

Sigh, Eminem dropping Kamikaze and MGK releasing a diss on Eminem due to Kamikaze and now this.

The last three days have been weird for RL drama.

 

http://prntscr.com/kqe9io

He even deleted the beginning of our conversation.

And the antagonist shows up just 40 minutes after I uploaded this, even though he hadn't replied me for over 2 days.

You weren't online the past two days, but you still managed to release 2 chapters of M E M O R I Z E? What magic did you use?

Paid me? Such a shameful lie. Can you post the proof of the Paypal transaction? I requested for a pay on 30th August, so the date on your transfer should be between 30th August and today, that's if you have such an evidence—liar.

 

I'm only going to say this one more time, I've already paid him. I did it even before the promised date on 31st August.
With this I'd like all of you fools, and idiots to stop spreading fake news around.
If this continues I don't mind suing him and everyone with him under 'Online Defamation'
Consider yourselves warned.