Beware:
Just received this from my bank:
Good evening and thank you for contact.

Our records indicate return fees incurred was due to a check issued by Primo Solutions LLC


YUP - Primo Solutions just bounced their check to me. Insufficient funds.

Do you know how much the fee is to me is?
$ 20 Fee
Not to mention the bounced check fees, since they deducted $60 from my account. I bounced a check.
$25 to my account
$30 to the grocery store where I wrote the check.

Oh, Dear God. I just deposited a $10 check for an awful $10 phone shop ( took 6 times to get the target- Did I even get a bonus thank you that going to bounce anyway)
Hey Tawni McDaniels
Your company owe me $135 assuming your company's $10 check didn't bounce.
Certified Check only please.

Wonder if that's why your scheduler left.

PS
Make that $135 -- they deposited twice; it bounced twice.
I should charge you an additional $25 like every other company out there does.

Edited for pronoun use only.
To be clear, Tawni is the VP, not the P, and according to both,VP and P; she does not own the company -- I only later learned the corporate structure and do not want to semantics to cloud the issue at hand. * This sentence was added after Mr. Miller's post and subsequent email informing the above.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2011 09:36PM by DaScubaLady.

Ouch! That really bites! I hope you can get your money somehow.

Indeed ouch!

My lawyer started a collection division.

Fees are high, but he get gets his fees through the companies.

Since this is a bounced check - He can go from notification to judgment in no time.

Hopefully, for her sake, she'll make good before it goes it him; his letters are expensive.

Scuba...sorry about that, not what you needed, hope you get refunded sooner than later.

You're lucky finding a lawyer to work with you for a (really) small claims issue!

Thanks guys -- I REALLY appreciate the support.

The worst part is that I liked working with this company - up to this last phone shop where I was taken advantage of. I worked for days phoning a target, and keeping logs and writing narratives- all for $10 -- I kept thinking I would get a bonus, not a bounced check, or two...if this one bounces.

Looking back at my emails, I just realized that a recent email blast went out for a local shop, and my request was ignored.

Everything is now fitting.
Oh well -- hope it doesn't happen to anyone else.
If it does, contact me.
If Primo bounces over a certain amount, it's may be a Federal offense.

PS. Maybe it small to the poster before me....Not small to me.
And, writing bad checks are considered fraud --
From memory, $2,500 is a Misdemeanor and $5k is a Felony.

Obviously Primo had every chance to make good on the check --
I did when I bounced because of Primo's return check. My check only bounced once; I took care of mine.

* Edited use of pronoun - her to Primo.
Also did not have all the facts at time of post. There is a scheduler, who unbelievably, happened to call me out of the blue at 9:15 PM 1/28 to inform me that she's scheduling me for the shop that applied for over a week ago.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2011 09:44PM by DaScubaLady.

Oh, I hear you. In California, I think the limit's even lower.

As a retired defense attorney, I'm just saying you're lucky to find a lawyer willing to work with you for less than a $500 recovery. Normally just to send a threatening letter on office letterhead, they'll charge a couple grand.

Best of luck to you. I hope you get your money back. Checks scare the hell out of me.

Sorry, Scuba. I hope things are set right.

Not to distract from your injustice, but you've provided a very good reason to keep separate accounts for shopping and household.

I had a demand letter written by an Atty (not msing) charging $350.00 per hour, and it cost me 300.00...she did me a favor, and it paid off, got what was owed to me without having to continue the precedings.

Thanks Mert --

And, You are so right -- but I do have 2 accounts - this was my "business" account.
And, that's really not the point.
Even if it were just what Primo owes me ($40) plus the two return check fees (2 at $20) I'd be equally as pissed.
And, don't tell me everyone here wouldn't be pissed at being owed $80, not to mention the repressions from Primo's returned check.
Let's be honest.
I've seen people here scream over a late Heidi's reimbursement ($10).

It wasn't even one returned check that started this. It's the fees ( oh, there are more...it's a GD domino effect)

On the bright side,

If this came from the house account -- shoot, I'd be in hole for hundreds and hundreds -- I shutter to think how many checks are written between the two of us, and the repressions of bouncing those checks.

Re: Irene
Was yours a demand for non-payment or due to a bounced check?
I'm not sure what he'll charge; I know as a lawyer he's $325 per hour, but he's branched out and started full service collection agency.
He gets the fees, I get what's owed ( my shopping fee and any banking fees)

I'm sure he'll make more than me, but I'm not a JD. He is.

---
This was edited for the pronoun use of her.
Only changed her to Primo, as it's a "him" who signs the checks.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2011 09:29PM by DaScubaLady.

Scuba,

It may not be illegal to have a friend call Primo under the guise of a collection agency seeking payment on your behalf.

Scuba...demand for non-pymt and much more owed than you'd believe. Not about Msing, but the demand letter worked and saved me a ton of $$..sometimes that just scares the h__ out of them and they'd rather pay than go to court....again, good luck! Hope that MSC never works again, so bad for them, they could go to jail in CA....don't know about CO.

Luckily we haven't had a large payroll turn rubber since Checkmark was bouncing them back 2006 or so. Fascinating thing was that I went to check other forums to figure out the date (whether it was '05 or '06) and mysteriously the information seems to have vanished.

Arch,

I don't need a guise. I don't care what the collection agency charges -- I don't pay it.

I think you guys are hung up on the fact that the owner of the collection agency is a JD.

Nichtoliver - you're a retired defense attorney. Now think like an Owner of a Collection agency who doesn't have to pay a JD; because you're a JD who pays "Collectors" and owns the collection agency.
Luckily I'm in a State whose laws are for the company owed the money ( I shop under a DBA).

It's a different relationship when it's a bounced check.
Again, think of someone who defaults on their pay day loan.
The loan company hires the collection agency.
The $50 default quickly becomes $250, then $500. ( Don't quote me on the numbers)
That's the type of accounts he goes after. It's a numbers game, as he calls it.



Flash -
Was Checkmark prosecuted ?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2011 03:26AM by DaScubaLady.

Arch Stanton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Scuba,
>
> It may not be illegal to have a friend call Primo
> under the guise of a collection agency seeking
> payment on your behalf.


Pretexting or "social engineering" is 100% legal. There exists only a few instances where's it's illegal and that's not one of them.

DaScubaLady Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Flash -
> Was Checkmark prosecuted ?

There was a lot of sound a fury about it but they promised payment and did, after a while, get everyone paid. They did not, however, pay bounced check fees or charges for checks bounced due to their bounce. They rather offered to send an 'oops' letter for shoppers to take to their banks to beg forgiveness of the bounced check fees.

The issue there was apparently a partner withdrawing from the partnership and 'taking their share' of the assets and their line of credit on the way out the door. Of course shoppers were never given the whole story or even an 'official' reason, if I recall. But there was apparent genuine concern about what had happened. There was fury and noise about filing lawsuits, though I don't know that anyone ever did anything.

DaScubaLady,

I am the President and CEO of Primo Solutions, LLC. I apologize that you feel you had a bad experience with our company. However, I am even more concerned that you believe your check bounced. I checked our books and then our bank account and all three checks that we have written you (Nov. 2, 2010 / Nov. 9, 2010 / Dec. 28, 2010) have all cleared. I actually have copies of the cleared checks if you would like for me to send them to you. Also, if you can provide me proof that your check from Primo Solutions, LLC bounced, I will be happy to not only pay for your bank fees, but I will also write you a cashier check for another $100 just for your trouble.

You see, we realize our business relies on good quality mystery shoppers. I believe that most quality shoppers come to this forum and recognize some of the propaganda as rumors. However, there are still a small few who are swayed by such accusations as what you have done. So, as the CEO of my company, I assure you that I will right any wrongs. If by chance you have made a mistake by falsely accusing our company, I would hope that you have the professionalism to clear that up as well.

My advice for any shopper is to do your research on the company. See what professional organizations they belong to. And if you run across post like this, ask for proof. I am more than happy to provide the proof of the cleared checks, because our company has NEVER written a bad check. If you would like to reach out to me personally, my email is mike.miller@primosolutionsllc.com. One last word of advice. Beware of scams. You can visit our website to learn about a recent scam in which our company identity was used for a Cashier Check scam.

DaScubaLady, I want to thank you for conducting the telephone shops for our company. I know at times they can be challenging. So, if you were expecting a personal thank you and did not get one, please accept this as a personal thank you from me.

Michael Miller
President and CEO
Primo Solutions, LLC

Mr. Miller,
I will now send you, via the above email, the information provided by my bank.

FYI.
The check was deposited twice. The first time on January 7th.
It was re-deposited ( date unknown), then bounced a second time.
The check was then sent back to your company.


I'm assuming that since the check was an out of state check, it took this amount of time between the initial deposit and final attempt to clear the check.

What I don't understand is why Tawni McDaniels did not immediately contact me when I alerted her to the problem.
When it's regarding a phone shop where she requires my help, she returns the email in seconds.
In addition, your scheduler called my home last night at 9:15 PM to tell me she's scheduling me for a shop that I applied for -- I applied over a week ago.

Since it was quite the coincidence that she happened to call. late in the evening after I decided to make this public, I stated that before I consider future shops, Tawni needs to first contact me regarding the bounced check.

Her response was, "So, you don't want to do the shop?"
Yes, the time she called plus her response was quite disturbing, but after speaking with her, she did tell that she would contact Tawni on my behalf, and even she sent me an email this AM stating that last night, she sent the email.

I feel fortunate to have this forum, which seems to be quite instrumental in gaining MSC's attention.
Unfortunate that I had to go through the forum.

One simple email to the person who portrays herself as my corporate contact to your company should have been enough.

With that said, I'll gather the information, and send it via email.
I await your response via my email address.

Regards.
DaScubaLady.

Please make sure you keep us updated!

Yes Jaosmom, I will.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2011 07:13PM by DaScubaLady.

I appreciate Michael Miller taking time to respond to this situation. I too am interested in the outcome. I hope that the answer is made know and this thread just does not disappear never to be commented on again.

Nice to see a response from their CEO.

Noticed that another msc has picked up their assisted living shops and it is paying almost double the fee that Primo had paid.

Dascublady- any updates???

swvaboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I appreciate Michael Miller taking time to respond
> to this situation. I too am interested in the
> outcome. I hope that the answer is made know and
> this thread just does not disappear never to be
> commented on again.

Re: Your comment,

I stated I would comment once this situation has been resolved.
No news is sometimes just that...
No news.

> Re: Your comment,
>
> I stated I would comment once this situation has
> been resolved.
> No news is sometimes just that...
> No news.

Geesh, a bit touchy, sorry to hit your nerve.

I want to know the outcome since I have respect for Primo and you know, I am able to read, so I saw that you indicated that you would post something when you had news. My main point was to compliment Michael Miller for his post and reaching out to you to assist in the process. I find it frustrating when something of this nature happens, a few comments are made, and then the thread just dies out.

Why no comment on Arch Stanton or Jaosmom's comments?

Lastly, there was no need for you to comment on my post, I was making a simple statement.

It also speaks well of this site knowing that some msc owners are reading our postings--for good or bad. At least they have the opportunity refute any inaccurate postings.

FYI: V-GOD site now has a Scheduler's forum which is closed to shoppers, yet schedulers can read and post on the shopper's forum. Why is this Ray ??? I thought that site was impartial to shoppers and msc's.

That is not something new, Arch.

I would like to comment concerning this posting. As a scheduler for over 10 years and mystery shopper for over 20 years, I want to say Primo is a very reputable company.

This situation has been resolved. The check "bounced" because the shopper told Primo she had not recieved a check for payment on work she did and since it had already been sent, a new check was issued the next day, after her call and a stop payment was put on the first check. She was sent a new check and it was cashed. Then she cashed the check that a stop payment had been put on too. So the check "bounced" but not because Primo didn't pay her for the work she did or for "insuffient funds", but because the check should never have been cashed, because stop payment was issued on it. She had already cashed the check for payment of services rendered, so that is how this all began.

So

batesmotel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would like to comment concerning this posting.
> As a scheduler for over 10 years and mystery
> shopper for over 20 years, I want to say Primo is
> a very reputable company.
>
> This situation has been resolved. The check
> "bounced" because the shopper told Primo she had
> not recieved a check for payment on work she did
> and since it had already been sent, a new check
> was issued the next day, after her call and a stop
> payment was put on the first check. She was sent
> a new check and it was cashed. Then she cashed the
> check that a stop payment had been put on too. So
> the check "bounced" but not because Primo didn't
> pay her for the work she did or for "insuffient
> funds", but because the check should never have
> been cashed, because stop payment was issued on
> it. She had already cashed the check for payment
> of services rendered, so that is how this all
> began.
>
> So

And the reason you know this is?