Has anyone ever heard of "mag crews"?

[Heyo]

I stumbled across something intriguing today by accident. It has to do with these exploitive travelling door to door magazine "sales" outfits that are basically sort of cultish in nature IMO, and verbally and physically abuse and exploit vulnerable young people and seperate them from their family and strand them far from home. They are also abused and threatened when they atempt to leave. (As far as I am concerned it is kidnapping)

It's really a bum deal that this is going on. I actually had one of these kids come to my door recently, and didn't think anything of it necause I had no idea what it was, thought it was a legit, run of the mill "school contest" magazine type deal. I would have offered to help or call the kids parents or something had I known.

I urge people, if you have a moment, to go to this site:

www.magcrew.com

and read some of the "True Stories" section. If nothing else other than to be aware of what the reality is if one of these poor kids comes to your door.

I am not surprised at this I guess, in today's world, but I was a little taken aback by it for sure.

Has anyone here ever worked for one of these or known anyone who has?

It's despicable the way these peole are roped in and then used and abused, starnded in bad neighborhoods till late hours of the night and forced to knock on doors for hours on end, paid in cocaine and alcohol or nothing at all, even beaten up and raped.

The people who run these companies should all be in JAIL! I was reading the stories of some of these kids and was trying to count up the felonies commited by the handlers and lost count after only about 3 stories. :mad:

Heyo

[Sugarbleus]

1. Yes, I know of these "crews". I've been hit by them more than

once. I did my own research and found out pretty much what you did. Then, I wrote to my congressperson and a senator about it.

I was floored by what I learned. I think they should be jailed also. Some of the young ones they send out look extremely forelorn and lost. It's pathetic!

[Heyo]

2. I found out one of the bigger offenders...

... is based right near me, and the owner lives in a mansion near here. I believe I know his name, too, from an Inside Edition story.

I wonder if there is something I can do... probably not. He is very rich so it would probably get me into a huge hassle.

(sigh)

Heyo

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I vaguely recall an accident in which a whole vanload of them

was killed in southern WI somewhere a dozen years ago or so.

[Heyo]

6. Yep..

..That story made big headlines, you are correct.

But what I have found out is that, in addition to the abuse they suffer, the crews are involved in fatal traffic accidents all the time. Many times the drivers are intoxicated and drive very recklessly, driving long many-hour stretches with many people in the vehicle. On driver fell asleep at the wheel in New Mexico I think it was (or Arizona) attempting to drive 1500 miles in one stretch and flipped the vehicle, full of occupants. Many other times these young people have been seriously injured in crashes and have no one to help them.

What's even sadder is that alot of time, the companies won't even pay for their medical expenses, will abandon them at the hospital, or abuse and berate them, and even steal their medication given to them by the hospital in one case. (vicoden) They are made to work in any weather, at any time, long hours even if sick or injured.

Heyo

[yardwork]

4. A boy with Down's Syndrome came to my door once selling magazines

I was worried about him. I asked him where he was from. He said Chicago (I live in NC). He said they brought him down in a bus. I still think about him.

[Shopaholic]

5. I live in SC

We've had them come here a couple of times. They usually sell either magazines or cleaners. I've even seen ads in the local classifieds promising these kids that they'll travel all across the US. Really sad.

[Heyo]

7. Yeah, it's sad...

I know there are a lot of problems in the world, and terrible things happen everywhere, and I only learned of this whole thing today. But, for some reason I guess I have a soft spot for these kids.

I feel sad in my heart for these people were lured in, taken far away from home, and now are stranded in a dangerous with low-lifes who abuse them that they cannot get away from.

Heyo