Feels like a scam!

[Capt Gill]

Originally Posted by wyb2

Just because something doesn’t fit the dictionary definition of a scam doesn’t mean there is no deception going on. If a large portion of your customers end up feeling deceived, it means you are making money by deceiving people. It’s really that simple.

Most actual scams can be pretty easily spotted too if you know what to look for and are “paying attention to details.” The fact that these scams take place is still the scammer’s fault, not the victim’s.

[clownfishsydney]

Similar thing happens when you apply for a USA electronic visa. There are web sites that charge heaps more than the US Government and all they do is somehow apply on the proper website for you. Beware of all such applications or renewals.

[Znightflyer]

Similar situation with TSA pre check renewal. Price double what it should be. Not sure why but I haven’t had a TSA pre check boarding pass since my renewal. I’m able to confirm account still valid.

[Todd727]

Originally Posted by PippaB

If you used

If you have an LLC, have a DOT number, or have any business that requires an annual registration requirement, you find that there are a lot companies that will send you notices, letters, and emails reminding you to and offering to handle the registration.

You learn quickly to look for the fine print stating that this is a private firm offering a service. In the case of the picture above, you don't even need glasses to see the words "ONLINE PRIVATE PROCESSING FIRM." No government office refers to themselves as a FIRM.

As far as whether you think it's a scam, I feel the same way about paying someone to do my taxes. It's unnecessary, as I can file directly with the IRS myself. However, some people may not have the education or time to handle complicated situations. I, on the other hand, don't trust someone to get everything correct with my finances.

Also, Capitalism is exactly why most people on this forum can afford the lifestyle they choose. I don't see a lot of people from communal economic society on these forums and suspect I never will. Not political, economic.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Todd727

As far as whether you think it's a scam, I feel the same way about paying someone to do my taxes. It's unnecessary, as I can file directly with the IRS myself. However, some people may not have the education or time to handle complicated situations. I, on the other hand, don't trust someone to get everything correct with my finances.

Also, Capitalism is exactly why most people on this forum can afford the lifestyle they choose. I don't see a lot of people from communal economic society on these forums and suspect I never will. Not political, economic.

Taxes are a scam because the tax preparing companies have blocked the IRS from sending you the completed forms for your review and signature. This is how it is done in the UK and elsewhere. The IRS wants to do it, and they already have all of the data. There is just too much money being made, especially with online tax prep, so Congress is yet again bought and paid for.

We do not have competitive markets (capitalism) to nearly the degree that is commonly thought. What we have is crony capitalism, which has hurt all but the guys at the top. The alternative to what we have today to make things better is back to Adam Smith, not to Marx.

Greg

[wyb2]

Originally Posted by Todd727

If you have an LLC, have a DOT number, or have any business that requires an annual registration requirement, you find that there are a lot companies that will send you notices, letters, and emails reminding you to and offering to handle the registration.

You learn quickly to look for the fine print stating that this is a private firm offering a service. In the case of the picture above, you don't even need glasses to see the words "ONLINE PRIVATE PROCESSING FIRM." No government office refers to themselves as a FIRM.

Most of people have none of those things.

Your pride in being able to spot deceptive marketing practices doesn’t make those practices any less unethical.

Originally Posted by Todd727

As far as whether you think it's a scam, I feel the same way about paying someone to do my taxes. It's unnecessary, as I can file directly with the IRS myself. However, some people may not have the education or time to handle complicated situations. I, on the other hand, don't trust someone to get everything correct with my finances.

As noted above by CarinaPDX, tax filing companies kinda are running a scam by lobbying against any improvements in the filing process. But even given that, at the user level, they still take a process that may take several frustrating hours and simplify it into maybe 30-90 frustrating minutes, which is a very real service. If the only form anyone ever needed to file was the 1040-EZ, then tax companies would be on par with these documentation services.

Originally Posted by Todd727

Also, Capitalism is exactly why most people on this forum can afford the lifestyle they choose. I don't see a lot of people from communal economic society on these forums and suspect I never will. Not political, economic.

If the argument is this is just a negative side-effect of capitalism - well, yeah. Drug companies spend a lot of time and money working on new drugs that accomplish the same thing as existing ones, but with fewer negative side-effects. We should do the same thing here.

[Ike]

Similar thread running on the Club Sea Ray Forum USCG VESSEL RENEWAL (CG-1280) - MARITIME DOCUMENTATION | Club Sea Ray

[Ratty1978]

Similar scams go on for trademark renewals - fake official sounding names and a renewal that is done infrequently enough that it might be the only thing done with the agency for years. On the trademark side, they caught one and there was a conviction and jail time. If the CG asked me (and they haven't) I'd evaluate whether using a picture of a boat with a genuine CG insignia is deceptive.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Ratty1978

Similar scams go on for trademark renewals - fake official sounding names and a renewal that is done infrequently enough that it might be the only thing done with the agency for years. On the trademark side, they caught one and there was a conviction and jail time. If the CG asked me (and they haven't) I'd evaluate whether using a picture of a boat with a genuine CG insignia is deceptive.

If you look really closely you will see that it is not a genuine CG insignia.

[Ike]

Originally Posted by Ratty1978

Similar scams go on for trademark renewals - fake official sounding names and a renewal that is done infrequently enough that it might be the only thing done with the agency for years. On the trademark side, they caught one and there was a conviction and jail time. If the CG asked me (and they haven't) I'd evaluate whether using a picture of a boat with a genuine CG insignia is deceptive.

I have had to deal with these things during my Cast Guard career. That is not a Coast Guard shield and not a Coast Guard stripe. If they were, it would be a violation of Federal Law. But they are deceptive and close enough to fool people who aren't familiar with the real thing.

[Ratty1978]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

If you look really closely you will see that it is not a genuine CG insignia.

Interesting. I didn't look closely enough. In the trademark infringement environment the standard is "likelihood of confusion" -- it doesn't need to be a counterfeit. The guy who went to jail for trademark scams changed "Office" to "Bureau" (the real one is United States Patent and Trademark Office) among other things.

[Ratty1978]

Originally Posted by Ike

I have had to deal with these things during my Cast Guard career. That is not a Coast Guard shield and not a Coast Guard stripe. If they were, it would be a violation of Federal Law. But they are deceptive and close enough to fool people who aren't familiar with the real thing.

Interesting. I didn't look closely enough. Might be different laws that could be used. In the civil trademark infringement environment the standard is "likelihood of confusion" -- it doesn't need to be a counterfeit. The guy who went to jail for trademark scams changed "Office" to "Bureau" (the real one is United States Patent and Trademark Office) but did lots other things wrong. Apparently he collected $4.5 million from the scam.