Documentation

[DeborahLee]

Is the Coast Guard trying to get us to drop documentation and go to state registration. First they didn't send me my renewal notice then sent me a "courtesy letter" saying I only had 45 days to register then when I finally got them on the phone to renew it's now $75 per yr, up from 25. MD is only $35 for 2 yrs.

[Scot McPherson]

Call or go to the coast guard website directly. Don't contact anyone or anything from those courtesy letters. That's a third party agency phishing for some business trying to make a performing a _legitimate_ service, but one you don't need them to perform. Unfortunately, they are taking advantage of people who don't know any better or those people who just do what they're told without checking into it a little first.


Honestly, it's easier and cheaper to do it yourself.

[Larry Florida]

Cut and paste from the USCG website

CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION RENEWAL FEE
Effective November 10, 2014 the cost to renew a Certificate of Documentation (COD) is $26.00.
See Federal Register (79 FR 47015) dated August 12, 2014 for more information.
Renewal of your COD can be completed via one of the following options:
PAY ONLINE
Visit our website at: USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Home Page and click ‘Order Products Online’ to
utilize our online payment system. Follow the instructions for Renewal or Late
Renewal*. When paying electronically, separate submission of the CG-1280 is
NOT required!
PAY BY CREDIT CARD, CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
Step 1: Complete CG-1280 Vessel Renewal Notification form mailed to you. Sign, date, indicate
capacity of person signing and address change, if applicable.
OR visit our website at: USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Home Page, click the Instructions and Forms tab and the
CG-1280 Renewal of Certificate of Documentation link if you did not receive a renewal notice.
Complete form as noted above AND be sure include name, address, vessel name and official
number on the form.
Step 2: Submit Payment.
Pay by credit card using accompanying CG-7042 Authorization for Credit Card Transactions
Pay by check or Money Order made payable to the U.S. Coast Guard
Step 3: Mail completed form and payment to:
U.S. Coast Guard
PO Box 1119
Falling Waters, WV 25419-1119
*LATE RENEWAL submissions must be received in our office within 30 days of the date of
expiration date on the COD. The late fee remains unchanged at $5.00; however the $26.00 renewal
fee (for a total of $31.00) must be included and accompany all late submissions. DOCUMENTS
NOT RENEWED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF EXPIRATION DATE WILL EXPIRE AND
REQUIRE REINSTATEMENT (see instructions for replacement/reinstatement on our website).

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

Is the Coast Guard trying to get us to drop documentation and go to state registration. First they didn't send me my renewal notice then sent me a "courtesy letter" saying I only had 45 days to register then when I finally got them on the phone to renew it's now $75 per yr, up from 25. MD is only $35 for 2 yrs.

This should answer your question.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2353354

[svHyLyte]

Ah... You are being hustled. Tell whomever to stick it in their "ear". Go the the real Coast Guard web site and you can easily check on the status of your documentation. Further, the USCG will send a renewal notice to you at your last registered address informing you that renewal is due. They Will Not send you a "courtesy notice" if you fail to respond.

FWIW...

[DeborahLee]

Thank you. They caught me on a bad day and they are good. Seeing if I can't void the charge on my card.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

Thank you. They caught me on a bad day and they are good. Seeing if I can't void the charge on my card.

According to the Authorization check box on the U.S. Vessel Documentation web site:

"I agree to pay the above total amount according to the card issuer agreement and hereby authorize the charge for the total amount above for the processing of selected USCG documents. I understand that my application will be processed in the order in which it is received by U.S. Vessel Documentation. I understand that application and processing fees are non-refundable as per U.S. Vessel Documentation and as per 46 CFR 67.500(e)"

[pesarsten]

I hope some of the people scammed by this will file complaints with the attorney general and postal fraud unit. Perhaps then the people behind this "service" will not try to conceal that they are a third party.

Secondly, did the concept of two year renewals die?

[wingless]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

...

Perhaps then the people behind this "service" will not try to conceal that they are a third party.

The U.S. Vessel Documentation service already provides those disclaimers.

Copyright 2017 U.S. VESSEL DOCUMENTATION | All Rights Reserved. U.S. Vessel Documentation is NOT the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Vessel Documentation Center; we are a third party agency that handles USCG Documentation processing to NVDC.

I understand that U.S. Vessel Documentation is NOT the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Vessel Documentation Center.

I understand that U.S. Vessel Documentation does not represent any government agency and is not endorsed by any governmental agency.

I understand I am submitting my application through a private company.

Originally Posted by pesarsten

Secondly, did the concept of two year renewals die?

The U.S. Vessel Documentation Service offers multiple year renewal for convenience.

[DeborahLee]

The money was refunded by VISA. It doesn't come from the CG it was a stop payment against the scammers. Also filed a "fraudulent mail"
report with the US Postal Inspectors. They have a copy of the letter insinuating it is coming from the USCG along with the web address that makes it look as if it is the USCG web address. The USCG is part of Homeland Security and they didn't like someone scamming using one of their divisions, and didn't like someone using a web address that looked official. They are afraid it could lead to other problems. You can't sit back and say "oh well" when scammed. Hit them with all you can.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by wingless

According to the Authorization check box on the U.S. Vessel Documentation web site:

"I agree to pay the above total amount according to the card issuer agreement and hereby authorize the charge for the total amount above for the processing of selected USCG documents. I understand that my application will be processed in the order in which it is received by U.S. Vessel Documentation. I understand that application and processing fees are non-refundable as per U.S. Vessel Documentation and as per 46 CFR 67.500(e)"

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

The money was refunded by VISA. It doesn't come from the CG it was a stop payment against the scammers.

Best wishes for long-term success with violating the agreement w/ the documentation service.

My expectation is that they have already planned for this possible event. It is probable that the documentation is already being processed and will be sent to the documentation service, not to the OP. It is likely that they will require restoration of their fee, plus an additional service charge prior to sending the certificate to the OP.

Please keep the topic up-to-date with events until the certificate is in-hand.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by DeborahLee

Also filed a "fraudulent mail" report with the US Postal Inspectors. They have a copy of the letter insinuating it is coming from the USCG along with the web address that makes it look as if it is the USCG web address.

This is part of the definition of fraud:

... the requisite elements of fraud as a tort generally are the intentional misrepresentation or concealment of an important fact upon which the victim is meant to rely, and in fact does rely, to the harm of the victim

This topic already shows that the documentation service has explicitly specified that they are not the USCG, so what have they misrepresented, what have they concealed?


More info on the chances for satisfaction:

Proving fraud in a court of law is often said to be difficult. That difficulty is found, for instance, in that each and every one of the elements of fraud must be proven, that the elements include proving the states of mind of the perpetrator and the victim, and that some jurisdictions require the victim to prove fraud by clear and convincing evidence.

[JPA Cate]

Imnsho, the very name of the outfit is misleading. It is a misleading, greedy, (legal until proven not so) business and if people don't like it, they should notify the the Post Office as Deborah Lee did, that's brilliant.

[Doug4bass]

I notified the USCG......and they seemed pretty apathetic.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by wingless

The U.S. Vessel Documentation service already provides those disclaimers.

Copyright 2017 U.S. VESSEL DOCUMENTATION | All Rights Reserved. U.S. Vessel Documentation is NOT the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Vessel Documentation Center; we are a third party agency that handles USCG Documentation processing to NVDC.

I understand that U.S. Vessel Documentation is NOT the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Vessel Documentation Center.

I understand that U.S. Vessel Documentation does not represent any government agency and is not endorsed by any governmental agency.

I understand I am submitting my application through a private company.

The U.S. Vessel Documentation Service offers multiple year renewal for convenience.

Boo! You linked to these sleeze bags.

Ive recieved their notices too and they are designed to give the impression of being official...never noticed the disclaimers (hidden in the fine print I assume), but already very familiar with the legitimate NVDC so recognized them as a scam.


Plenty posts here from folks whove fallen for their scam.