I am a freelance translator, and I have done four ...

I am a freelance translator, and I have done four jobs for Alpha CRC. The project managers with whom I have worked have been professional and competent people. However, the company is terrible about payment. Even with a payment period of 60 days, all four payments have been late.

The company did pay me for the first two jobs I did, though both payments were made weeks later than what was agreed. However, I submitted the third project - of over $3500 - almost four months ago, and I have not yet been paid. All of my queries at this point are either ignored or deflected with a cut-and-paste response in which I am told how much my patience is appreciated. This is particularly disconcerting as I think back about how I nearly killed myself getting it done on time. I am in a full-time graduate program at the moment, which meant that I had several nights in which I got fewer than three hours of sleep because I was doing work for Alpha CRC on top of my studies. My classmates told me that I was crazy, but I just responded that I needed the money. The sleep deprivation ended up having a recognizable effect on my grades. That is not Alpha CRC's fault, of course, but it makes their inability to pay even more painful.

Payment for my fourth project just became overdue a few days ago. Meanwhile, I am broke.

I realize that most folks come here as buyers, not suppliers. However, consider the risks of dealing with a company that is so terrible about fulfilling its financial obligations. This speaks volumes about what goes on behind the curtains: trust someone else with your projects.