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

[Spottsville]

Coast Guard warning 10/17/2017


A new scam targeting boat owners, claiming they can save time online, is costing them hundreds of dollars, the Coast Guard says. These are websites offering documentation renewal services for a fee.

The websites have the appearance and claim convenience of an official government website. But just because a website looks like the Coast Guard and may work like the Coast Guard, that does not mean it is the Coast Guard. The result is often that boaters using these websites can end up spending three times the standard fee and find that Coast Guard boarding officers cannot accept their vessel’s documentation as valid.

Why? The Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center, located in Falling Waters, W.Va., is the only authorized entity to issue certificates of documentation required for vessels engaged in commercial trade and optional for vessels weighing 5 or more net tons engaged in recreational use and activities.

Further, although the Coast Guard is aware of these websites, no companies are authorized to operate on its behalf in any way. The services they provide are not illegal, but they cannot issue any form of documentation, including travel letters and/or permits that authorize the operation of any vessel.

Any fees charged beyond the $26 renewal fee or any other agreements offered by such websites are not associated with the NVDC certification process. These companies cannot issue the certificate, but are middlemen who charge a fee for processing the paperwork on a boater’s behalf.

So if you, as a dealer, have customers with documented boats, be proactive and tell them: When it comes time to renew, always remember that the Coast Guard website offering documentation uses a .mil domain name. Websites using .us, .com and .org aren’t the real thing.

 

[BandB]

There's nothing new about this at all. Actually, these companies may be doing all the victims a favor in a sad way. If you only get scammed out of $50 you're lucky, because there are scammers out there giving the appearance of social security, of IRS, or any number of other governmental entities and then millions of other scammers and some of those get very very expensive.

I don't like these people, don't justify them. Legitimate documentation agents like them even less. However, it's a warning to all of us not to trust blindly anything we get in the mail or in email. Go to the source. Look at the millions taken illegally by those pretending to be your bank or credit card or those offering better deals. Do we need more aggressive law enforcement? Yes, but it's not going to concentrate on the $50 scammer when there are scammers wiping out life savings of seniors. They're really not much different than those who show up at the door offering to fix the roof or there to do a security check or check on their hvac and all those have been around a while. Don't open your door, either literally at your house or figuratively to those who mail or email you.

How many of you are familiar with Publisher's Clearing House? There are those legally enticed into buying and buying and buying and automatic payments and then those illegally scammed by look alike's and many very poor elderly people who lose what little they've got. Yet, have you ever tried to get the 80 year old who is developing dementia to stop answering the phone and talking to those who call, ultimately giving information and agreeing to something.

Or someone like Nu-Wave with $99 unit but second one for free and you end up paying $260 for two with shipping and handling. No problem returning, they'll live up to their deal. You pay shipping both ways and you can return both and get back $79 or something like that.

So, if the documentation imitators cause a few of us to be more distrustful of things in the mail, online, on television and people at our door, then the best $50 service ever.

I still think they're crooks even though what they do is perfectly legal. Now, I do know a few people who they've actually saved as they'd overlooked the need to renew and reinstatement is very expensive.

Guess it is that I don't like them, but not going to get outraged as people have been warned over and over and still fall for it. I'm glad they just charge $75 and not $150.

 

[Knot Salted]

There's nothing new about this at all. Actually, these companies may be doing all the victims a favor in a sad way. If you only get scammed out of $50 you're lucky, because there are scammers out there giving the appearance of social security, of IRS, or any number of other governmental entities and then millions of other scammers and some of those get very very expensive.

I don't like these people, don't justify them. Legitimate documentation agents like them even less. However, it's a warning to all of us not to trust blindly anything we get in the mail or in email. Go to the source. Look at the millions taken illegally by those pretending to be your bank or credit card or those offering better deals. Do we need more aggressive law enforcement? Yes, but it's not going to concentrate on the $50 scammer when there are scammers wiping out life savings of seniors. They're really not much different than those who show up at the door offering to fix the roof or there to do a security check or check on their hvac and all those have been around a while. Don't open your door, either literally at your house or figuratively to those who mail or email you.

How many of you are familiar with Publisher's Clearing House? There are those legally enticed into buying and buying and buying and automatic payments and then those illegally scammed by look alike's and many very poor elderly people who lose what little they've got. Yet, have you ever tried to get the 80 year old who is developing dementia to stop answering the phone and talking to those who call, ultimately giving information and agreeing to something.

Or someone like Nu-Wave with $99 unit but second one for free and you end up paying $260 for two with shipping and handling. No problem returning, they'll live up to their deal. You pay shipping both ways and you can return both and get back $79 or something like that.

So, if the documentation imitators cause a few of us to be more distrustful of things in the mail, online, on television and people at our door, then the best $50 service ever.

I still think they're crooks even though what they do is perfectly legal. Now, I do know a few people who they've actually saved as they'd overlooked the need to renew and reinstatement is very expensive.

Guess it is that I don't like them, but not going to get outraged as people have been warned over and over and still fall for it. I'm glad they just charge $75 and not $150.

Good thoughts. Thanks! Actually though, reinstatement after a lapse is only $89 or so for us via the real Coast Guard.

Safe Boating!

 

[boomerang]

We just got this & I'll admit I got fooled at first glance, thinking the Coast Guard had changed their documentation process/paperwork even though I've had documented vessels for over 30 years & knew what their paperwork looks like. It just looks so official with the big seal in the background & the WV address.
Attached are pics of the letter from the scammer that we received, in case it might help someone in the future to avoid these guys.

 

[menzies]

We just got this & I'll admit I got fooled at first glance, thinking the Coast Guard had changed their documentation process/paperwork even though I've had documented vessels for over 30 years & knew what their paperwork looks like. It just looks so official with the big seal in the background & the WV address.
Attached are pics of the letter from the scammer that we received, in case it might help someone in the future to avoid these guys.

A small point, they are not scammers, nor is what they are doing illegal. In fact many companies use this "official look" ploy, mainly companies offering extended warranties.

The lesson is, read your mail and answer you phone carefully.

Caveat Emptor, yes you may pay more for their service than directly doing it yourself, but the resultant Documentation is fit for the purpose. So you will have no recourse.

 

[boomerang]

I suppose your point is a good one and yes, it is a legitimate company but when someone is trying to deceive me- in essence I have to read my mail carefully to see who exactly they are & what exactly they're offering, I think they are trying to swindle me ,which is the very definition of a scam. Just because many companies use the practice of deception doesn't make it a legitimate business. Legit company? Yes. Legit business practices. Not so much IMHO.

 

[Chuck34]

A small point, they are not scammers, nor is what they are doing illegal. In fact many companies use this "official look" ploy, mainly companies offering extended warranties.

The lesson is, read your mail and answer you phone carefully.

Caveat Emptor, yes you may pay more for their service than directly doing it yourself, but the resultant Documentation is fit for the purpose. So you will have no recourse.

Yes, they are scammers. The definition of Scam...a fraudulent or DECEPTIVE act or operation.

EVERYONE who paid the $75 to this company did so because they thought they were dealing with the actual Coast Guard.

This company's business model depends on people thinking they are dealing with the CG, not some private service and they do a very good job deceiving people of this.

 

[Tom.B]

Yes, they are scammers. The definition of Scam...a fraudulent or DECEPTIVE act or operation.



EVERYONE who paid the $75 to this company did so because they thought they were dealing with the actual Coast Guard.



This company's business model depends on people thinking they are dealing with the CG, not some private service and they do a very good job deceiving people of this.

Yep. Total scam. You can put lipstick on a pig if you want, but they abusing public records and are totally preying on people for $50 a pop.

 

[markpierce]

One advantage of those third-party documentation notices: time to check on the official USCG website and renew for under $30. (Done it.)

 

[boomerang]

One advantage of those third-party documentation notices: time to check on the official USCG website and renew for under $30. (Done it.)

 

[Spottsville]

Humiliation

Yes, they are scammers. The definition of Scam...a fraudulent or DECEPTIVE act or operation.

EVERYONE who paid the $75 to this company did so because they thought they were dealing with the actual Coast Guard.

This company's business model depends on people thinking they are dealing with the CG, not some private service and they do a very good job deceiving people of this.

Humiliation is the feeling I had being duped by these guys! Any business that has a real value proposition does not need to be an imposter! They must seldom look in in mirror and feel good.......ashame....what a waste when they could be something good with their life......

Norm

 

[Chuck34]

One advantage of those third-party documentation notices: time to check on the official USCG website and renew for under $30. (Done it.)

Yes, it is a reminder, but I have always received a reminder letter from the real CG Doc office

 

[GoneFarrell]

Another part of this problem is that the legit website is buried down in the search results.

You have to use the "dco.uscg.mil" site and nothing else!

Do a search for "uscg document" and the legit site is 6 places down!

If your Google-fu is not strong it's easy to get on the wrong website.

 

[Chuck34]

Time to bring this thread to the top of the page for anyone who missed it earlier

 

[Ken E.]

Just got another bogus renewal notice in the mail today. These guys are persistent. For them it's a numbers game that a certain percentage of their mailings will dupe the recipient.

 

[Chuck34]

Just got another bogus renewal notice in the mail today. These guys are persistent. For them it's a numbers game that a certain percentage of their mailings will dupe the recipient.

If enough people learn about this, eventually, the scammers will find they are spending more on postage than the revenue it generates. Let's hope it is soon.

 

[Group9]

A small point, they are not scammers, nor is what they are doing illegal. In fact many companies use this "official look" ploy, mainly companies offering extended warranties.

The lesson is, read your mail and answer you phone carefully.

Caveat Emptor, yes you may pay more for their service than directly doing it yourself, but the resultant Documentation is fit for the purpose. So you will have no recourse.

Maybe not illegal, but way into used car, vinyl siding, and timeshare salesmen territory!

 

[sbu22]

They hit me last week. My office is my dirt address. Office manager, a very astute individual, passed it to me with a note that I should give it a second look - she thought it appeared funny." Good job!

I gather this is a wholesale scam from the numbers of TFers taking the time to comment. I disagree with menzies - it's a scam - misrepresentation and zero added value for the "service". Of course, I'm sure a team of Phildelphia lawyers walked this concept right up to extreme boundary of legality. They're still scum.

 

[Chuck34]

I gather this is a wholesale scam from the numbers of TFers taking the time to comment. I disagree with menzies - it's a scam - misrepresentation and zero added value for the "service". Of course, I'm sure a team of Phildelphia lawyers walked this concept right up to extreme boundary of legality. They're still scum.

Yes, the scammers must have the full listing of documented boats and they are making tons of money by deceiving people into thinking they are the real CG. They even have a WVa return address on their mailing envelope even though it was mailed from CA. They send out their "reminder letter" a week or two before the real CG
Yes, they are legal. Scumbags, but legal.

 

[HiDHo]

I guess it’s what passes for marketing in todays world. They work the numbers and find out a profit can be made off a certain number of mailouts. Similar to extended warranties, or rolling all your debt into a home mortgage, etc.
Malicious is too nice a word to discribe those who would profit off of others and call it a service.

 

[Spottsville]

More Warnings.........

https://www.nationalfisherman.com/n.../coast-guard-warns-vessel-documentation-scam/

 

[Knot Salted]

The interesting thing is that when we bought our boat, the broker “Skipper Buds” accountant used the third party site to set up our documentaion which cost me in the area of $400. Ignorant, I assumed this was the only way to do it.
A little profit shring?

 

[Maerin]

The CG database website has altered the site so it no longer displays the mailing address of the listed owner of the documented vessel. I suspect the scam will dry up now that the scammers don't have their data served up on a platter. I guess the real documentation center got the message, and they didn't have to make a federal case to come up with a solution!

 

[Knot Salted]

? fingers crossed!

 

[OldDan1943]

More Warnings.........

https://www.nationalfisherman.com/n.../coast-guard-warns-vessel-documentation-scam/

Hmmmm, opinion of "Maritime Documentation Center"?

If you notice the email address, "www.maritimedocumentation.us"..... it does not end with a ".gov" and it offers multiyear renewals and identifies itself as a "private online application."

Maybe I can hang out a shingle indicating, for profit, pretend pope, offering absolution for a fee?

 

[tiltrider1]

I suffer the same junk mail with our large commercial trucks. You have to have a dot#. I constantly get email that says I haven’t filed my biannual dot update and for $50 they will take care of it. There is no biannual update for privately operated commercial trucks.

 

[markpierce]

I suffer the same junk mail with our large commercial trucks. You have to have a dot#. I constantly get email that says I haven’t filed my biannual dot update and for $50 they will take care of it. There is no biannual update for privately operated commercial trucks.

One needs to have an alert accounts payable accountant!

 

[GFC]

I got my renewal notice today and went online to renew the doc. I typed in the web address shown on the UGCG paperwork and got that phony site. I checked the address and I had it wrong. Tried it a second time, got them again.


It took me 3 tries before it finally got the USCG site. Now we'll see how long it takes them to get the new doc to me.

 

[OldDan1943]

I got my renewal notice today and went online to renew the doc. I typed in the web address shown on the UGCG paperwork and got that phony site. I checked the address and I had it wrong. Tried it a second time, got them again.


It took me 3 tries before it finally got the USCG site. Now we'll see how long it takes them to get the new doc to me.

I sent my check in last week and was surprised I got my documentation today.
Remember, make the check out to USCG. I think I put every Federal Agency on the check and finally found it should be to USCG.

 

[dhays]

I got my renewal notice today and went online to renew the doc. I typed in the web address shown on the UGCG paperwork and got that phony site. I checked the address and I had it wrong. Tried it a second time, got them again.


It took me 3 tries before it finally got the USCG site. Now we'll see how long it takes them to get the new doc to me.

I did it online this morning. As usual, a bit of a clunky US Gov website, but the process is easy. I too will be interested in how long it takes to receive it.