US documentation scam

[Chuck34]

Originally Posted by Scott Fuller

Just a work of caution - don't rely on the reminder from the real folks, last year for whatever reason mine never came and I missed my renewal by a few days, so I sent the late fee in, and had everything kicked back a couple of months later because I had filled out the form without my wife's name (she's on the original documentation with me). It took another several months and a re-certification fee to get it all sorted out. I did get the official reminder this year, but I now have a reminder in my personal calendar a month prior to my renewal.

Scott

Now you can renew for up to 5 years.

[Steve Bean]

If I receive a mailing that offends me that includes a self-addressed stamped envelope, I stuff it with as much useless paper as I can, and send it back.

[wtmf]

what is the deal if I don't register an ocean boat? just asking.

[Chuck34]

Originally Posted by wtmf

what is the deal if I don't register an ocean boat? just asking.

Did you mean document instead of register? Ocean boat? Do you mean a boat that goes out into the ocean? I'm pretty sure that documentation is strictly optional for any privately owned boat used only for personal use.

[WSMFP]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

If I receive a mailing that offends me that includes a self-addressed stamped envelope, I stuff it with as much useless paper as I can, and send it back.

I've been doing the same.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Lepke

It not as much of a scam as a documentation service company going too far to get your business.

I think it's a matter of semantics. I make a distinction between "barely legal" and "not a scam."

After going over the line of legality in a number of ways, these scammers have backed off a little to make it harder to sue them or charge them with a crime.

But, in my book, deliberately misleading people to sell a "service" that anyone can easily do themselves, is a scam. Even if it is difficult to prosecute.

[Chuck34]

Well, I got my renewal reminder letter yesterday from the actual CG and guess what, I haven't seen anything from any of the scammer services. Just maybe the CG's new policy on not providing owner information on their website anymore is starting to pay off. The cash cow is finally drying up.

​​​​​​​Wish they had done this several years ago. I'm guessing they got so many complaints, they had to come up with some way to stop the scammers.

[Kenomac]

I wasted $75 on this scam last year. Only go to the US Coastguard site, it’s a .gov site.

[DougR]

It's still out there....I've gotten two from " Maritime Documentation Center" in Billings, MT in the last three weeks.

DougR

[Chuck34]

Originally Posted by DougR

It's still out there....I've gotten two from " Maritime Documentation Center" in Billings, MT in the last three weeks.

DougR

My boat was first documented last summer when I bought it. I'm guessing you have had your boat for several years and they already had your info before the CG stopped publishing it. Correct?

[Chuck34]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I wasted $75 on this scam last year. Only go to the US Coastguard site, it’s a .gov site.

Actually, it is .mil not .gov

www.uscg.mil/nvdc

[DougR]

Originally Posted by Chuck34

My boat was first documented last summer when I bought it. I'm guessing you have had your boat for several years and they already had your info before the CG stopped publishing it. Correct?

20 years..

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

It's not really a scam, It's more an "idiots beware".

BTW - you can renewal online now with a credit card. Now if only they could email you the renewal and it would be good for more than 1 year.

It is a scam. They impersonate a government site. I was really sick with the flu a few years ago and got their mailer. I paid $150 for 3 years online and the next day, when I felt better, I read the info again. I tried cancelling the “contract” and they refused to refund my money. The only way to contact them was an online chat window that could not be saved or printed. I sent numerous emails, all went unanswered. I filed complaints with the USCG, AMEX, and the USPS. I got one renewal only and zero refund for the other two years of renewals.

[SailingPNW]

The real problem with them is if you search on Google it's almost impossible to get to the actual CG site, most of the links for the real site are at the bottom of the first page or even on the second or third page of search results.

[mabowers]

Originally Posted by SailingPNW

The real problem with them is if you search on Google it's almost impossible to get to the actual CG site, most of the links for the real site are at the bottom of the first page or even on the second or third page of search results.

Third result if you google "us coast guard documentation center", but there are 2 scammy looking .us sites above it in Google results. Those 2 are clearly maked "Ad" in the results though, so the real site is the top "non ad" result.
Eus coast guard documentation center

[edit] Even finding the "real" site won't help with the &#^%! months long backlog in getting Documentation paperwork back !