Scam Letter

[ancora]

We got a letter from the "National Documentation Portal" offering to provide our new documentation. The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018 (?) is quoted to give the letter an aura of authenticity. Be aware of this scam, shipmates.

 

[Comodave]

These have been around for years. Just make sure the website you go to ends with a .gov.

 

[Iggy]

I got the same letter. I left a message on pricing and they never got back to me. So that ended that!

 

[Shrew]

Goodness gracious, this old topic again. It's not a scam, its just a service. One that charges a significant service fee to do what you can do yourself on:

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organi...s-DCO-D/National-Vessel-Documentation-Center/

Note, it's not ".gov", it's actually '.mil'

 

[Comodave]

Good catch, I meant to type .mil but instead typed .gov.

 

[Ken E.]

The USCG Documentation Center is in Falling Waters WV. All others are agents looking to charge you a fee for their services. And Shrew is right, the extention is .mil

 

[jgwinks]

dco.uscg.mil to be exact.

 

[Shrew]

dco.uscg.mil to be exact.

Yes, just like in Post #4.

 

[SeaDogAK]

Sure, it’s a service that they charge a fee for. What makes it a scam is that they use an official looking seal and disguise their mailings to look like they come from the government. I’m not sure why anyone would defend that practice.

 

[healhustler]

Sure, it’s a service that they charge a fee for. What makes it a scam is that they use an official looking seal and disguise their mailings to look like they come from the government. I’m not sure why anyone would defend that practice.

Agree. It’s the official looking documentation that tricks folks into using their service instead of looking for the real site.

 

[denverd0n]

What makes it a scam is that they use an official looking seal and disguise their mailings to look like they come from the government.

Exactly. They are very clearly trying to fool people into thinking that they have received an official letter from the government. That makes it 100% a scam! It just confounds me how anyone can defend such a practice.

 

[hmason]

If you need to submit the same information to them as you would to the CG, I question how it’s a “service.”

 

[psneeld]

I don't think many are so much as defending them, more "legal vs illegal" than good versus bad.

 

[SeaDogAK]

In most states there are private DMV outfits that will provide the same services as the government for an extra fee. They might be open evenings and weekends, and their lines are shorter than the official office. It’s a perfectly legitimate service, and they’re not posing as a government office. This is different because of the deception.

 

[psneeld]

In most states there are private DMV outfits that will provide the same services as the government for an extra fee. They might be open evenings and weekends, and their lines are shorter than the official office. It’s a perfectly legitimate service, and they’re not posing as a government office. This is different because of the deception.

OK, exactly what I was saying.

If it were illegal, I am sure they wouldnt be around as long as they have been despite the concern of deception.

Again, not arguing good vs evil....and certainly not defending them.

 

[SeaDogAK]

I didn’t say it was illegal, I said it was a scam.

 

[Comodave]

Scams are usually illegal. This may not be ethical but it isn’t illegal apparently.

 

[jgwinks]

There are cases where a documentation service would be helpful, maybe even essential. Adding commercial endorsements or first time documenting an old boat with multiple prior owners not all of whom are still living for example. But I'd bet these "imposter" outfits couldn't/wouldn't do those. There's nothing wrong with charging for a service that your customer can't do himself, but a straight renewal is so simple it's probably quicker and easier to do it direct with the CG than the "service". In my mind, that's not service.

 

[Comodave]

There are cases where a documentation service would be helpful, maybe even essential. Adding commercial endorsements or first time documenting an old boat with multiple prior owners not all of whom are still living for example. But I'd bet these "imposter" outfits couldn't/wouldn't do those. There's nothing wrong with charging for a service that your customer can't do himself, but a straight renewal is so simple it's probably quicker and easier to do it direct with the CG than the "service". In my mind, that's not service.

This isn’t a documentation service. Documentation services provide some much needed and sometimes required services. When you get a loan on a documented boat the lender will likely require you to use a documentation service so they are assured of a proper lien on the boat.

The service in question is just for renewal of the documentation. Something that is really simple and easy to do online with the CG. And waaay cheaper too.

 

[jgwinks]

Exactly what I meant. If they are harder and more expensive than doing it yourself it's not "service". And I wonder if they're even capable of doing the harder stuff.

 

[Old Sea Dog]

Went with the service that the broker suggested. Purchased a boat where the owner had passed away and the widow was selling. No lien on the boat. Service provided paperwork that transfer in progress. Heading north to the Chesapeake from Marathon next week.

Sent from my SM-G715U1 using Trawler Forum mobile app

 

[hmason]

When I bought my boat in December the brokerage uses a documentation service that quoted $900 to transfer the documentation to me. I did it myself and it cost approximately $85. A call to the CG resulted in a very pleasant conversation with a CG person that answered any questions I had. Had the new papers in hand in about 5 weeks. My insurance company wanted proof that I applied for the doc transfer. Called the CG again and they immediately emailed a letter to me on CG letterhead stating that the transfer was in process. They included a name and phone number in case the insurance company or the FL DMV had any questions.

 

[slowgoesit]

As I posted on another similar thread, I had a friend who was suckered into using one of the unofficial renewal services. When he found out he overpaid vs what the National Vessel Documentation Center actually charges he complained to the vendor, basically told him to pack sand. He checked with his bank, then sent the vendor a certified letter asking them by what authority had they deposited a check to their commercial account made out to a Federal Agency, the "National Vessel Documentation Center", as clearly shown on the paper check . . . .
He didn't receive a reply back, but about 10 days later he received a check in the mail from the vendor for the FULL amount of his check, with an annotation that the funds were "deposited in error". About 2 weeks after that, he received his new tabs from the National Vessel Documentation Center, which the vendor had processed on his behalf!
So in affect, he got his renewal for free!

I suspect their attorneys just said "Refund the guys money, NOW and don't say another word to him!" or something like that . . .