Midwest Clearing, Inc. reviews and complaints

This company, Midwest Clearing, basically steals from people. They have consumers purchase magazines that they do not recieve. All of them have a "sob story" like my salesman did. I never recieved my magazine even though I paid for it. I contacted the company multiple times without getting a response from them until I finally got a hold of someone. The company will not refund my money or give me my subscription. I filed a complaint with the BBB. I found out that this company has an F rating for basically doing this type of thing. There were so many complaints on them. This company and it's employees are shameful. They stole from me and made it look like a business transaction. It's fraud!

A young women came to my door selling subscriptions. She showed me her licence and said it was for something that seemed worthwhile. It's been 4 months. I have yet to recieve my magazine. I called the phone number and it's been disconnected.

I worked for ACS for Don Scott. My manager was the owner of Paragons and he and his wife hired me to their crew. Taking a young person out of the inner city and giving them a chance to survive off the streets is a legitimate tale... however, some people were just working at selling magazines. I tried the line of trying to make it off the streets of the inner city but it was MY lie, not theirs. To be honest, I came from a very good home but had to make money so I sold magazines. I would walk up to my customers and say, "HI, I'm selling magazines. If you do not want any, they can be sent as gifts or we can renew some you already have. Each magazine subscription equals points and I am working to earn so many points to get a bonus."
Most of the time people would buy...others would not. It is a numbers game but the lessons I learned working there will live with me forever. I use to be very shy and I am no longer an introvert. I had no idea how important it is to know how to just sell yourself, not so much what your are trying to get the customer to buy. Don't be too quick to judge these guys. If they are knocking on your door and selling subscriptions, they are indeed off the streets and not doing drugs. If you do not get your subscription, most of the time that is the magazine company. I am sure the owners of Midwest Clearing will do the right thing and get your magazines coming to you. I spoke to hundreds of people who renewed the subscription they had from the previous years and had no complaints with receiving them.

Hi! I am a former employee of Midwest clearing and its not a FRAUD folks! Its a job position that teaches poor youth, troubled teens, and single parents WORK-ETHICS!
I was a Honest Faithful worker for Midwest Clearing, and my customers always received there reading material...My only problem was I didn't make the money I thought I should have been making but, Oatmeal beats no meal at all... :) if you have a comment feel free to email me : Mikej17@hotmail.com

i loved the bizz nizz and it gave me what i put into it, it is a legit bizz nizz but just like anything it depends on the manager in charge. people get their mags my brother and daughters still get theirs from the very same type of people. people just fear what they dont understand sometimes you gotta just look alittle deeper then just the first couple layers just like onions

has it ever accoured to any of you [censor]s that some of these people are really tellin the [censor]in truth, you sit high and look low like your so better than others your human just cause you make more money next time someone comes by put yourself in their shoes.. and stop complaining you give money to the bum that going to get high on your money...

I ordered a magazine subscription about six months ago from a kid walking around the neighborhood. He seemed like a nice kid and also had the story about being from the "Hood." Well, I did NOT get any issues and thought that I had been ripped off but I found the receipt and called the company. They looked up my receipt and said that it was turned in as a "gift" and was going to a Boys and Girls Club in L.A. Now, I did NOT agree to that. I was expecting to get the magazine delivered to my home but I also think that if it gets kids to read and to take up exercising that is a good thing. 30 plus years ago I started reading this magazine (it was the forerunner to "Muscle & Fitness") as a kid myself and starting working out and it helped me. The company offered to give me another year free of charge and start delivering it to me but I said no. I guess what I am saying is the main thing for me is that the magazine is actually being delivered and some kids are hopefully reading it and maybe it will have a positive impact on their lives as my first issue did with me (I uploaded the cover of that issue that I found on the web). Midwestclearing.com was very nice to me and fully offered extend my subscription for an extra year for the "mistake" so I don't have any complaints with them.

we canceled subscription immediately and 4 mos later, no refund.

My 74year old husband was recovering from surgery when a salesman came to the door with a story that my husband (not in his right mind)bought and handed over cash.Realizing his mistake later that day he filled out and mailed the form requesting a refund.Now, months later they still give me"the check is in the mail"routine but never a check.I've notified BBB, so far no response but will continue to go after them since I think many other older people have been taken in and they should be stopped.Joyce Strom

I had the same unfortunate experience. I did the same thing and cancelled my check and now I recieved a collection notice for $105.00 . How did you handle the collection services?

I too was given the song and dance they tell their people to provide. I cancelled my check the very next day after researching this on the internet. Now they have tried to send me to collections to pay for the check that I cancelled. They want $105 to cover their expenses.

My husband gave in to some guy who came selling the magazines. Our check is dated Dec 14, 2010 and we still have not received a single magazine. Our check was deposited and cleared just days later. There is a stamp on the back of the check but I cant make out what it says. I don't know who's fault it is that we did not get the magazines but its someones! The number on the receipt is disconnected. I feel for those selling door to door because most are just trying to make some money and its the only job they can get...Or I guarantee they would not be out there getting doors slammed in their faces. Self esteem would surely be low! C Stephens

Has anyone gotten there money from this company. Is the BBB doing there job. This is when you need a dog that Bites. Been trying to get my money back since 6/8/2010. UPSTATE - New York .

i don't know if this is a scam or not. a nineteen year old male came by my place last night selling magazines. he gave me a story about wanting to make a better life for himself - we talked for about 20 minutes and i ordered about 150 dollars worth of magazines and had them sent to a charity (he informed me that most people don't care about the magazines - which i didn't). he seemed sincere and had a good attitude and will no doubt make a good salesman someday. i contribute to charities but i like the feeling of contributing to an individual. if nothing else, he got a chance to "practice and perfect" his craft and start building experience for his next job. we all started somewhere and it's always better to try something vs not try anything.

I have a similar story, but Midwest Clearing cashed my check and stole my $48. It has been over 1 year, no magazine and no refund, despite Dave's apologizes and promises to refund my money. Since Midwest Clearing is no longer a BBB accredited company, I doubt that my complaint will be resolved, as with so many others who lost much more money than me.

As the original post suggests, I have written the magazine and shared my experience. My hope is that magazines start to feel the pressure from so many dissatisfied consumers that they only sell subscription rights to companies with ethical business practices.
As for helping those who need a second chance, I donate to charitable foundations where I know that my money is going directly to the cause, and I volunteer.

I had the same experience, now on week nine waiting for my $45 from Dave. To make matters worse, while the salesman was at the door and we were finishing up, he asked for a drink of water (I live in AZ). While I was getting him a water bottle, he hit on my wife! I've been without my magazine for over seven months now. I finally gave up and filed a complaint with the Chicago Better Business Bureau. Dave is a liar, the company is a farse, and I will NEVER buy magazines from someone on my doorstep ever again.

The exact same thing happened to me that happened to all of you. A pair of teenagers, a male and a female--from North Carolina they claimed, something to do with getting cash for college, etc. I normally don't fall for this stuff but I was in the middle of feeding my daughter when they knocked (I thought it was Fed Ex) and, for some reason ended up writing a check for $102.00. I think part of the reason I fell for it was that my wife subscribes to the Chicago Tribune through a fund-raising program by a local high school. That program is legit. Midwest Clearing is not.

After they left, I had a bad feeling and Googled. I saw the BBB rating and read everyone's testimony here. I also read the back of my receipt and saw that the kids had violated several of the prohibitions listed there. I tried to call my bank but they were closed. I tried to call Midwest Clearing but got voice mail which re-stated their dubious refund policy. Then I got pissed. I got up, ran out the door, and down the street. One of my neighbors cried out, "Oh no! You didn't fall for that magazine scam did ya?"

I caught up with the kids three blocks away just as they were about to ring someone else's doorbell and said, "Give me my check". The kids balked, putting on hurt-feelings faces and asked why. I told them why and they said, "Oh those complaints are just from a few people who weren't satisfied with the service." I told him, "You can give me my check or I can call the police and let them mediate this discussion." So, he gave me my check back. As I was walking away, he asked if he could have the receipt back and I said, "no, you can't".

As I went home they stopped soliciting and followed me. After I went back inside they looked at my house for a few moments as they passed. That, didn't give me a good feeling so I called the cops and filed a report. The police said they'd send a car out looking for them. So, that's what happened to me.

You can cancel the transaction on the company's website within three business days of the sale and there is no penalty for the cancellation. Why you people pay $30 to your bank to do this?

For everyone that thinks that midwest clearing is a bad program its really not because it really is people out their wanting to better them self and it people that dont but just because one person mass up dont take it out on the company by writing [censor] [censor] lie give sum one els a chance and stop [censor]ing tryin mass up the company.

I think we all know as soon as these nice kids come to our door that we're either going to give in, get suckered and hope some of what they say about making money for themselves is true or tell them to leave. We know the magazine prices are too high and the $15 handling fee doesn't help. I would NEVER give them cash. The 25 year old woman from Texas says she lives in New Jersey and they have caretakers to take of her 3 and 2 yr old girls, while she is soliciting. If they DO pay for her to relocate and stay while working, it's not such a bad gig for her. The question is-how much do we want to be involved! I'd rather give money to her, then to someone who is sitting on the street, drunk and asks for money. I'm in Nyack, NY. I wonder if this happens all across the country?

I wish I know about this before. I too was a victim of this fraud. On 10/1/09, an early 30 black female come to my neighborhood and talk about how she needs help to get out of the project by selling magazine and she would get a small commission. So I decided to help her out and purchased some magazine. By February 2010 I still have not received any magazine so I email Midwestclearing.com and received a reply from Dave saying that I should mail them the receipt and I will get the refund. I did that more than 2 weeks ago but still have not received my refund nor heard anything from them.