Beware of Scams

If someone is contacting you and asking you to cash a Cashier’s Check and your payment is that you get to keep a certain amount, this is a SCAM. If you are sent any type of check or asked to purchase gift cards, this is probably a SCAM. These scammers are sophisticated. They are now using our physical mailing address as well as our domain name (primosolutionsllc.com). These people make the scam seem real by even calling you and telling you the specific directions on cashing the check. If you are contacted by telephone or email regarding this kind of mystery shop or any other kind of mystery shop, do the following at a minimum:

  • Contact the company they are representing.  If it is our company (Primo Solutions, LLC) call or email us and ask if it is legit.  Most of the time, the scammers will not give you a good call back number.
  • Contact your bank and see if the check is legit prior to cashing.
  • Contact the bank/credit union the cashier’s check came from to see if it is legit.
  • Contact your local police department, and ask for Cyber Crimes department.
  • Contact the FBI.
  • Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Some Scammer are:

  • Using the Primo Solutions logo
  • Making themselves to look like a Primo Solutions employee – to the extent of using a Primo Solutions’ employee name.
  • Taking text and other content from the Primo Solutions website to present the scam in a realistic and professional manner.

Tips to avoid Mystery Shopping Scams

  • You should never pay to become a Mystery Shopper.
  • Make sure you register as a shopper from a legitimate company/website.  For Primo Solutions, you will always register from our website or directly from our mystery shopping platform.
  • Avoid all companies that claim to pay in advance of completing the shop.
  • Take the time to research and conduct due diligence on any company you might wish to work with and always contact them directly through a Google search or the Mystery Shoppers Professional Association (MSPA) industry trade association. Scammers will often spoof popular mystery shopping company names.
  • Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to ensure you are dealing with a legitimate company.  You can find the BBB listing for Primo Solutions here.
  • Do not deposit unexpected paper checks into your personal account and then wire funds or purchase and mail gift cards; as this is almost certainly a mystery shopping scam.
  • Do not accept assignments involving evaluating money-transfer services.