Beware of third party "for fee" boat documentation providers!

[Fajah]

I am a newby to the USCG registered vessel program and fell hook, line, and sinker for a poser yesterday. After thinking on it for a bit, realizing what I had done. I sent a email asking them to cease and refund....here is the answer below. btw, they looked legit and I clicked the agree to terms without hesitations, just like I do every time my phone updates software. not to be fooled again.

I have already called the credit card company and will approach that way. The charge for transfer from PO to me and the "two year renewal fee" was $600. I have not gotten burned on the internet in years and years but fell hard on this deceptive web site.


Dear Managing Owner,

We are one of many documentation companies that process vessel documentation for vessel owners on all types of applications, but you already knew that because you authorized the charge, agreed to all terms & conditions along with disclaimers which state that we ARE NOT the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center and still went ahead and submitted YOUR application with our firm.

Please be advised that, at your request, documentation processors assigned to your file will cease all further operations on your application.

However, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the website that you've already accepted through use, all application and processing fees submitted remain non-refundable.

 

[Chuck34]

Fajah,
Sorry you fell for this, but we appreciate you coming here to keep this thread alive.
As more and more people learn about this scam, eventually, the scammers will find they are spending more money mailing out "reminder letters" than the revenue it generates.

All the major boating forums have threads about this.

 

[BandB]

I am a newby to the USCG registered vessel program and fell hook, line, and sinker for a poser yesterday. After thinking on it for a bit, realizing what I had done. I sent a email asking them to cease and refund....here is the answer below. btw, they looked legit and I clicked the agree to terms without hesitations, just like I do every time my phone updates software. not to be fooled again.

I have already called the credit card company and will approach that way. The charge for transfer from PO to me and the "two year renewal fee" was $600. I have not gotten burned on the internet in years and years but fell hard on this deceptive web site.


Dear Managing Owner,

We are one of many documentation companies that process vessel documentation for vessel owners on all types of applications, but you already knew that because you authorized the charge, agreed to all terms & conditions along with disclaimers which state that we ARE NOT the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center and still went ahead and submitted YOUR application with our firm.

Please be advised that, at your request, documentation processors assigned to your file will cease all further operations on your application.

However, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the website that you've already accepted through use, all application and processing fees submitted remain non-refundable.

Yours is a little different in that there was a transfer of ownership. Hard to know without details (such as was there a prior or current mortgage, any abstract of title or certificate of ownership, plus whether any state registration, just how much extra you paid. You may have paid anywhere from $100 to $464 extra. I do notice a new quirk that none of the third parties seem to give pricing now until you enter all the information.

History says you may get your money back depending on how persistent you are. Meanwhile, you're sort of stuck in limbo, especially depending on what documents you sent them.

 

[Fajah]

Yours is a little different in that there was a transfer of ownership. Hard to know without details (such as was there a prior or current mortgage, any abstract of title or certificate of ownership, plus whether any state registration, just how much extra you paid. You may have paid anywhere from $100 to $464 extra. I do notice a new quirk that none of the third parties seem to give pricing now until you enter all the information.

History says you may get your money back depending on how persistent you are. Meanwhile, you're sort of stuck in limbo, especially depending on what documents you sent them.

I did not send anything, I did fill out some online form. we will see

 

[BandB]

I did not send anything, I did fill out some online form. we will see

How were you transferring ownership without sending anything? It requires either a bill of sale or a COD signed by the previous owner. Were you expecting them to obtain that? If so, that would account for additional costs. Any title work being done?

 

[Fajah]

How were you transferring ownership without sending anything? It requires either a bill of sale or a COD signed by the previous owner. Were you expecting them to obtain that? If so, that would account for additional costs. Any title work being done?

Right, all I have to submit, and I can do it with pdf and email to the CG is the original CG-1270 Cert of Documentation, signed and notarized by PO, transferring it to me and a new CG-1258 APPLICATION FOR INITIAL, EXCHANGE, OR REPLACEMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION; REDOCUMENTATION
along with a credit card form......and I should be done.....$92 total.....so the rip off, fake WEB site, wanted $450 for that then I fell for the $75 per year to two year auto renewal bit......

 

[Baker]

I am a newby to the USCG registered vessel program and fell hook, line, and sinker for a poser yesterday. After thinking on it for a bit, realizing what I had done. I sent a email asking them to cease and refund....here is the answer below. btw, they looked legit and I clicked the agree to terms without hesitations, just like I do every time my phone updates software. not to be fooled again.

I have already called the credit card company and will approach that way. The charge for transfer from PO to me and the "two year renewal fee" was $600. I have not gotten burned on the internet in years and years but fell hard on this deceptive web site.


Dear Managing Owner,

We are one of many documentation companies that process vessel documentation for vessel owners on all types of applications, but you already knew that because you authorized the charge, agreed to all terms & conditions along with disclaimers which state that we ARE NOT the U.S. Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center and still went ahead and submitted YOUR application with our firm.

Please be advised that, at your request, documentation processors assigned to your file will cease all further operations on your application.

However, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the website that you've already accepted through use, all application and processing fees submitted remain non-refundable.

As B&B said, yours is a different case. The service you paid for was not an uncommon or unreasonable amount. There is some work involved....mianly a title search. And I think that requires a visit to the local USCG in person to present papers. Can you do that all yourself...of course you can. ANd I think it is right around $100 if you do it yourself. $100 and a significant amount of your time and some time to learn. So people will pay $400-600 for this service. What sucks for you is that now they are not even providing that service since you asked them to stop...AND now they are keeping your money. This thread is about 3rd party Doc renewel....which you can do on line and very simply from the comfort of your own home.

Top put it simply, in my opinion, you did not get scammed. Is the amount they charged "reasonable"? That is for you to determine. I have paid $400 for it before. I know what I was paying for and didn't want to hassle with it. Another thread you may want to start is to ask the membership here if they have documented their boat on their own and what it all entails....

 

[Fajah]

here is the latest from the bullies....

Dear Managing Owner,

You have stated that you might initiate an unwarranted and fraudulent charge-back against our company. Please be advise that if that is the case we will now communicate directly with your financial institution and will no longer communicate directly with you. To recover fees for services requested by you and rendered by our company, be advise that your file may be placed into collections and this may negatively affect your credit. Additionally, this email will be forwarded to all parties involved and retain legal counsel




--
Regards,

Jackson Smith
Documentation Processor

Office: (800) 535-8570
Fax: (800) 535-8570
Email: jackson@maritimedocumentation.us

 

[BruceK]

Nice people! Sounds like they want to keep the $ while stopping work.
You need to find out how far it progressed before they stopped work. Can you check with CG? You particularly need to check the transfer status, if they lodged it, and got it right, wouldn`t it just progress through the CG.
Beware they might be your address for CG communications, if so you need to fix that.This can`t be a novel situation for CG,who could well be on your side and help you out.

 

[Tom.B]

Beware of third party "for fee" boat documentation providers!

Make sure you are doing this to scammers and not a legit documentation company. To do the paperwork to document our undocumented boat when we bought it was $525. The company was called Marine Documentation as well. I will look back an check out the email address.

— edit—This group: https://marinedocumentations.com

 

[OldDan1943]

I'm not sure what's going on but, I documented 2 'vessels' via the USCG and it was 'easy as pie'. It was so easy, I forgot what I did. I guess sometimes ignorance makes a task easier.
This year, I was contacted by a 'service' offering to assist me in the 'annual renewal'. It didn't look official so I waited and in a week or so, I got the official renewal notice, filled it out, sent my my $26 check and a week later, got my certificate back.

 

[Maerin]

The site is the same outfit that started the initial post. The guy has been in the car detailing business, he made a run for public office, claims to be a paralegal (that explains the legal-eze), claims to be an accredited marine surveyor, and member of numerous professional organizations. There are links to those organizations on the website, but a bit of research doesn't confirm any of those claims. Just a lot of sketchiness going on there. The whole deal of being less than forthcoming in how they present themselves raises flags, and doesn't encourage the benefit of the doubt. Strongly worded, intimidating emails as the first response isn't the response of a service oriented organization. Just shady.

Hope you're successful with your chargeback. You may want to forward your credit card company a selection of the posts of others who've had dealings with this disreputable organization, there are posts on the cruisers forum, Hull Truth, T&T, MTOA, and probably others. There's also the issue of the USCG changing the public access website to redact addresses from the database as a response to the complaints about these folks harvesting addresses for the purpose of their deceptive solicitations. It may be legal, but it stinks.

 

[Baker]

Make sure you are doing this to scammers and not a legit documentation company. To do the paperwork to document our undocumented boat when we bought it was $525. The company was called Marine Documentation as well. I will look back an check out the email address.

— edit—This group: https://marinedocumentations.com

That seems to be the issue here....as I was trying to explain above. He is not listening and now is out money without the service he contracted!!!

 

[BruceK]

I did not send anything, I did fill out some online form.

B & B says, no doubt correctly, registering a transfer requires a document of sale, signed by the seller. Fajah says he has not provided one,making it unlikely the transfer is being processed. A good question is, was he asked for it by the "service". Maybe his termination of the retainer/contract preceded a likely request for it.
If the "service" is acting as agent for Fajah, it has a high fiduciary duty of good faith. Refusing further activity and keeping the money,and the tone of communication, likely falls short.
Maerin`s post above suggests another scenario. $500+ just to register a transfer sounds a lot, even if others have paid similar amounts. It doesn`t sound a huge difficult task.
There are 2 issues. One is sorting out the issue with the "service" The other is registering the transfer,which starts with finding out where that stands and, if the answer is "nowhere", getting on with it,DIY. That or going back, tail between legs to the "service",asking them to proceed after all.

 

[Fajah]

OK gang,

I asked them to stop shortly, within an hour or so, after I realized I was not working with the Coast Guard, my bad. They had nothing from me except a filled out, online form. In the meantime I have DIY directly to the CG with the permission to bill my credit card form for $92, after talking to the CG on what they needed.

The point is, these folks, while they might be legit, are hostile. While they did not process anything for me and I ask them nicely to stand down, they became bullies and you have seen some of the threats.

The point is, I screwed up, I figured it out right away and ask them to stop before they did any work. They said they would stop any work but no refund would be coming. And based on the no refund policy makes them a company no one should do business with.


Maerin - thanks for your post, shady is being very polite.

 

[Lance7171]

Maritime Documentation

Maritime Documentation Center is a company that I've used in the past. They are a third-party as well. However, they are pretty transparent that they are a private firm. Their customer service was excellent and I would definitely use them again. I wouldn't consider them a scam since they immediately notify you of their services

 

[Chuck34]

Maritime Documentation Center is a company that I've used in the past. They are a third-party as well. However, they are pretty transparent that they are a private firm. Their customer service was excellent and I would definitely use them again. I wouldn't consider them a scam since they immediately notify you of their services

Yes, they are more transparent than some of the others, however....
On their homepage, their logo looks a lot like the Coast Guard logo and they show a boat that at first glance, looks like some kind of CG vessel. Look at it closely and the slanted stripe on the bow we are so used to seeing is not a legitimate CG stripe. It just looks a lot like it.
My point, they still make there website enough like the CG that people will not read the fine print

 

[CanadianBoater]

If in doubt that you are dealing with the real Coast Guard or not, a 2 minute phone call should get you a clear answer. I often call places to get answers, and right away they should answer U.S. Coast Guard. If their website is void of a number to call, that should also set off alarm bells in your head.

 

[Chuck34]

No need to make a phone call....
Look at the website address. The real Coast Guard ends in .mil
If it ends in .com .us .org or anything other than .mil , you're dealing with a scammer.

 

[Fajah]

Maritime Documentation Center is a company that I've used in the past. They are a third-party as well. However, they are pretty transparent that they are a private firm. Their customer service was excellent and I would definitely use them again. I wouldn't consider them a scam since they immediately notify you of their services

Also, Google helps them be the first thing you see when you search for the USCG documentation center. I made the mistake and engaged them for about 30 minutes before I realized what I had done. Tried to get them to cancel and was met with aggression and hostility. They wanted almost $600 for what cost $93 with the USCG. I am fighting with them through my CC company and have reported them to the FTC as the Coast Guard recommended.

To each his own. They may not be a full on scammer however they are predatory.

 

[catalinajack]

Also, Google helps them be the first thing you see when you search for the USCG documentation center. I made the mistake and engaged them for about 30 minutes before I realized what I had done. Tried to get them to cancel and was met with aggression and hostility. They wanted almost $600 for what cost $93 with the USCG. I am fighting with them through my CC company and have reported them to the FTC as the Coast Guard recommended.

To each his own. They may not be a full on scammer however they are predatory.

I just renewed ours on the USCG website which takes you to pay.gov for payment. Simple process, ten minutes at most. Option for e-mail delivery as well. Since we are cruising in Canada, the e-mail option is handy but one must be able to print it out or, I suppose, download it to your phone or tablet.

 

[Spottsville]

Also, Google helps them be the first thing you see when you search for the USCG documentation center. I made the mistake and engaged them for about 30 minutes before I realized what I had done. Tried to get them to cancel and was met with aggression and hostility. They wanted almost $600 for what cost $93 with the USCG. I am fighting with them through my CC company and have reported them to the FTC as the Coast Guard recommended.



To each his own. They may not be a full on scammer however they are predatory.

My same experience! Once you click Enter/Go .....you lost your money............

Use the Government site and save $$$ and the headaches!

 

[Steve Jackson]

Just received my notice for renewal from the USCG and went to THIER website and renewed for the $26 fee. It was very easy and quick

 

[Chuck34]

Old thread, but I thought an update would be good.

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

 

[psneeld]

Just got my first private organization ltr. Too used to official USCG correspondence to fall for it.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

On avg how long has it taken for the CG to turn around a new Documentation request? Sent ours off about 6 weeks ago, got confirmation they received it, but nothing since. Thanks

 

[Chuck34]

Just got my first private organization ltr. Too used to official USCG correspondence to fall for it.

I did fall for it 3-4 years ago. Glad you didn’t

 

[psneeld]

23 yrs in helped...

 

[Chuck34]

On avg how long has it taken for the CG to turn around a new Documentation request? Sent ours off about 6 weeks ago, got confirmation they received it, but nothing since. Thanks

I’m hearing 2-3 months

 

[OldDan1943]

I’m hearing 2-3 months

Use to be 7-10 days. Mine has not arrived as of yet and I am "expired".