1. Human Trafficking
Overview
Sex Trafficking in the U.S.
Labor Trafficking in the U.S.
Agriculture & Farms
Domestic Work
Hostess & Strip Clubs
Restaurants & Food Service
Factories
Peddling & Begging Rings
Hospitality Industry
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Recognizing the Signs
International Trafficking
Trafficking FAQs
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Members of traveling sales crews are often
forced to sell items, such as this magazine,
without pay.
“These schemes are nothing short of theft of the labor and the wages of
hundreds, if not thousands, of young people.”
– Robert Abrams, former Attorney General of New York.
Victims of humantraffickinghave beenfoundinsales crews or
peddlingandbeggingrings, where they work longhours eachday
solicitingmoney or sellingproducts suchas magazine subscriptions,
trinkets, or cleaningproducts.
The controller or manager confiscates all or most of the victim’s
earnings andthe victims may be dependent onthe controller for
transportationandhousing. Beggingandpeddlingrings may include
U.S. citizens, immigrants, adults, or children.
Sales crews typically recruit U.S. citizenyouthages 18to 25, sometimes younger, withpromises of
travel, acare-free life, andthe ability to make alot of money. A "crew" consists of anaverage of 3 to
40 youth, under the directionof amanager, who moves the crewfromcity to city every fewweeks.
Crewmembers receive asmall daily stipendof $8to $15 or less , to cover the cost of meals and
personal items. Violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, pressure tactics, andabandonment in
unfamiliar cities are common.
Aftergraduatinghigh school, ayoungmanwas approachedby arecruiterwho toldhimhe could
travel aroundthe US andmake $350 aweeksellingskincare products. The youngmanjoinedacrew
travelinginavanaroundthe Midwest. The crew leaders chargedexorbitant fees fortransportation,
lodging, food, andset fines if they were late orfailedto meet sales quotas. If acrew memberfailedto
make the quotaforseveral days, he orshe was deniedfood, andsometimes abandonedwithout any
money. Afterbeingassaultedby acrew leader, the youngmandecidedthat he neededto leave. He
calledafriendfromapay phone, who helpedhimcontact the National HumanTraffickingResource
Center. (NHTRC).
*Basedoncalls receivedby the National HumanTraffickingResource Center. Identifyingdetails
have beenchangedto protect confidentiality.
When does it become trafficking?
Peddlingandbeggingrings andsales crews become traffickingwhenthe employer uses force, fraud
and/or coercionto maintaincontrol over the worker andto cause the worker to believe that he or she
has no other choice but to stay andcontinue to work. Commonmeans of control include:
Force–Isolationandremoval fromfamiliar surroundings;physical andsexual abuse;abandonment
for non-compliance.
Fraud–False promises of anopportunity to travel the country andearnmoney quickly;
misrepresentationthe work, workingconditions, wages, or immigrationbenefits;visafraud.
Coercion –Elaborate systems of rewards andpunishments;sales or beggingquotas;verbal and
psychological abuse;exploitationof aforeignnational’s unfamiliarity withthe language, laws and
Peddling Rings, Sales Crews, and
Begging Rings
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2. Top Resources
HumanTrafficking
National HumanTraffickingResource
Center
Sex TraffickingintheU.S.
RecognizingtheSigns
TheVictims
Client Quotes
customs of the US;sexual harassment;threats of harmto the victimor victim’s family.
*The above list is not comprehensive orcumulative. One element of force, fraudorcoercionmay be
present, ormany..
Vulnerabilities
Removal from Familiar Settings–Youthandyoungadults who sign-upfor asalescrewjob are
quickly removedfromfamiliar surroundings andare kept isolatedfromtheir social support network of
friends andfamily. If acrewmember is non-compliant withcrewrules or fails to make daily sales
quotas, he or she risks beingleft behindby the crewinanunfamiliar city withno money to get home.
Targeted Recruitment from Economically Marginalized Populations–Beggingand
peddlingrings oftentarget immigrants who are vulnerable to exploitationdue to language barriers and
alack of alternative job options. Inone case, traffickers recruiteddeaf andmute Mexicans to sell $1
trinkets inNewYork City. Salescrews target youthandyoungadults, many withlowlevels of income
andformal education. Oftenvictims have ahistory of or are vulnerable to homelessness.
Lack of Labor Protections–Salescrews are structuredso that crewmembers are classifiedas
independent contractors, thus shieldingthe companies fromregulation, taxes andliability.
Furthermore, as outdoor sellers crewmembers are exempt frommost federal andstate minimumwage
andovertime requirements. State level investigations andprosecutions are oftenhamperedby the fact
that crewmembers are rarely allowedto work intheir home state, andthe crews move frequently from
state to state.
Statistics Snapshot
Salescrewoperators are estimatedto cumultatively earn$50 millionannually. Crewmembers may
take inas muchas $100 per day, but are allottedbarely enoughto cover meals, usually $8to $15 per
day. They typically don’t have enoughmoney to buy abus ticket home.
For resources onhumantraffickinginsalescrews, click here.
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