Marine documantation center

[jmlinne]

I'm sorry the previous thread is closed. I just wanted to add my experience. I thought I had reached the USCG. I was in a hurry. The fee seemed rather steep but I proceeded. I received nothing. After contacting the USCG I was told that they had returned the form to MDC with a discrepancy. I never heard a word and after many requests by phone and email I've heard nothing. If this isn't a scam, what is?

[Lepke]

If you start here: https://www.uscg.mil/ you'll end up at the right place.


MDC is one of many documentation services. Their primary business is securing documentation for people too busy, etc., to do their own. Several have branched into documentation renewal and send official looking letters when your documentation is due. Their fees are in addition to what the government charges. It's a scam to the degree that some try to present themselves as the official USCG National Documentation Center.

Again, if you start here: https://www.uscg.mil/ click Mariners and then click National Vessels Documentation Center or use this link: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organiz...tation-Center/
It's not hard to do things yourself. Renewals online got a lot easier a couple years ago.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by jmlinne

I'm sorry the previous thread is closed. I just wanted to add my experience. I thought I had reached the USCG. I was in a hurry. The fee seemed rather steep but I proceeded. I received nothing. After contacting the USCG I was told that they had returned the form to MDC with a discrepancy. I never heard a word and after many requests by phone and email I've heard nothing. If this isn't a scam, what is?

Have you followed-up and contacted the service?

There's not much evidence that they are scamming you. Only that they are behind on their paperwork. Seeing as how the USCG is months behind processing documentation requests, I imagine they are as well.

How much time has passed from when they USCG rejected the application and now?

[Chuck34]

While I am NOT a fan of these scammy doc service companies, most likely you will get your certificate of documentation. As mentioned, the CG doc office is months behind on their paperwork and the doc services companies do not get a pass to the front of the line

[MuckAbout]

They are just a smidge above a scam. Horrible BBB history and they charge up to 10X what you will pay through the NVDC. there is a link at the bottom of the page that shows where they are in the processing time. All forms are fillable. It takes about 90 days right now but you will get an e-mail each time your file is touched. you must pay upfront and submit your CC authorization form. The instructions and forms are easy to use and submit electronically. All other sites charge you to fill out and submit the forms the same way.

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organiz...ons-and-Forms/

[letsgetsailing3]

They ARE a scam.

An unnecessary middle man that does NOTHING to help you get your documentation other than forward the information you supply, and charge you for the inconvenience.

That said, I think they do what they say they'll do.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

They ARE a scam.

An unnecessary middle man that does NOTHING to help you get your documentation other than forward the information you supply, and charge you for the inconvenience.

That said, I think they do what they say they'll do.

Based on this criteria GrubHug and PostMates are also scams and you are paying them a fee to do a service you could do yourself.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Based on this criteria GrubHug and PostMates are also scams and you are paying them a fee to do a service you could do yourself.

It would be more like if the GrubHub employee was sitting just inside the restaurant you wanted food from, took your money, handed to the money to the cashier, took the food from them, then handed it to you. And they did their best to trick you into thinking that they were the restaurant. Obviously no-one would pay them to simply repeat the steps that you were also still required to do (drive to the restaurant, pay someone, pick up your food). They're paid to do the drive part, which is a real service. There's no actual service here, you have to enter exactly the same information which takes the same amount of time and wait the same amount of time to get your results. These scammers obviously know that which is why they don't offer their "service" in an honest manner but try to trick people into thinking that they've reached the Coast Guard and are working with them. It's only legal because not enough of us have complained to our lawmakers to make it illegal. Certainly not a "business" I would feel at all comfortable in. Not sure why you're defending this behavior, is that the kind of behavior you're comfortable with?

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Based on this criteria GrubHug and PostMates are also scams and you are paying them a fee to do a service you could do yourself.

Well, no.

Many companies charge you for doing things you could do yourself. That's called a service.

In the case of these documentation "services", they are deceiving you into paying for something you're already doing.

This would be like Grubhub charging you for delivery, when you picked up your own food.

Edit: actually, it's more like the post above. Nicely done. It would be like if I cut and pasted redneckrob's post as my own response.