Industry Publishers

gogoshire · May 24, 2005

Found a proofreading job on Craigslist today with Industry Publishers. Has anyone heard of them?

I wrote a letter, sent my resume, and was sent an email with 2 attachments: the 1st explaining the job and the 2nd the first file to be proofed.

In the first attachment, payment is explained, and it sounds odd to me, but I'm new to this.

Here are the directions:
• At the completion of the job, please prepare an invoice that includes:

• Your name or company name
• Your social security number or tax ID number
• Your physical address and e-mail address
• A description of the work, the total number of addresses, and the total amount due
• Your signature

• Invoices may be mailed or e-mailed.

• Payment will be made within thirty days of invoice by check or PayPal. Please indicate your preference when you send your invoice.

Does that seem legit? I guess I'm nervous because I can't find them on the web anywhere. The email domain is industrypublishers.com, and when I type www.industrypublishers.com, I'm taken to importitaly.com. Odd, eh? Granted, the proofreading job is in Italian.

Want to know what you think.

Thanks,
Maureen

Aconite · May 24, 2005

gogoshire, in cases like this, the first question I ask myself is, "Do I feel comfortable giving these people my Social Security Number?" If the answer is "no," there's no need to go further.

Tish Davidson · May 24, 2005

All this is standard information that every publisher (and there have been dozens) that I have freelanced for has requested. If you don't feel comfortable giving out your SS#, you can get a Tax ID# from the government, but any legitimate company has to send you a 1099 form stating your earnings at the end of the year, and there has to be some sort of identification attached, so that the IRS can match up the amount they report with what you report on your income tax form. Name, address, contact info, SS# and what the job involved - it really is not all that different from going to work for a regular company as an employee. If you are in the US, request a paper check, then if it bounces, you have proof and a trail to follow. I suspect the paypal option is offered for to make things easier for non US workers. This sounds absolutely normal to me. It would seem much more suspect if they offered only electronic payment and did not ask for an invoice or tax information.

Is the proofing medical material? I did find this:
[size=-1]Industry Publishers, Inc. Publications. Medical Business - South Florida [/size]

gogoshire · May 25, 2005

Thanks for your advice.

I need to make a decision today and I'm still unsure what to do.
I would be happy giving my info out as I would to any employer if I could find that a company called Industry Publishers exists. I've never heard of them and I can't find a web presence. I'm not doing medical proofreading. I'm proofing a catalog of Italian ceramicists.

If anyone has heard of them, please let me know.
Maureen

Tish Davidson · May 25, 2005

Ask them where they are located. You have every right to request a postal address and telephone number. If they won't give it, that's a huge red flag.

Aconite · May 25, 2005

Tish, I know legit companies need your tax info. That's not what I'm talking about. If a company smells funny from the beginning, why on earth would I give them personal information they could use for identity theft, or that they could be careless with, allowing someone else to use it for identity theft?

gogoshire · May 25, 2005

I'm going to just say no to the whole thing. Identity theft is too big a deal to mess around with. I'm very suspicious of companies who advertise online but don't have a web presence. Even if Industry Publishers is legit, the pay is only $30/hour. I normally charge more than that.

Thanks for ALL of your comments, everyone!
Maureen

fastwrite · Jun 1, 2005

I have worked with Industry Publishers on projects in the past and have never had any problems with payment or anything else. It is common practice for clients to ask for tax ID numbers for reporting purposes. Get a federal ID number if you are uncomfortable giving out your SS#.

CaoPaux · Oct 1, 2007

Well, the catalog was published (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0976280108/?tag=absolutewritedm-20), but there's no further trace of the publisher or Import Italy.

(Not to be confused with the Florida publisher of trade mags.)

Gillhoughly · Oct 1, 2007

When it doubt, toss it out.

The very fact they do not have a website sets off my Spidy Sense.

They want ID theft info, and that nagging little voice in your head has a good point. It's hoping you won't walk off a cliff.

Listen to that little voice. Mine has kept me out of untold trouble over the years.

Give them a pass and write some "good clean smut" for Ellora's Cave instead. The pay's got to be better!

Industry Publishers

gogoshire

Aconite

Tish Davidson

gogoshire

Tish Davidson

Aconite

gogoshire

fastwrite

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor