Documentation Renewal

Davil1 said:

...As we are refunding your payment, I am assuming the dispute is no longer in process...

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I wouldn't cancel the dispute unless the refund actually occurs.


I'd bet a pretty good sum that you won't get a refund from the scam company, and if you continue your dispute with the credit card company the scammers will provide proof to the credit card company that it was a legitimate transaction. Not sure they accept "I didn't read the fine print" as an excuse. But I certainly hope so in this case.

Having said "We will provide a refund and it should be posted to your account in the next 5-7 business days." it`s hard to see how the "scammers"(sic) could resist the card company seeking reimbursement.
But then, it`s equally hard to see why the"scammers" need 5-7 days to post the refund when it could be achieved immediately with a few keystrokes.

renewal of cod

will see how it develops
3 to 5 days to refund

American Express is very good responding to disputed charges, and they provide a generous window, in fact t hey prefer a documented track of attempts to resolve the issue.
there is well documented mail exchange from their part to acknowledge my request to cancel and refund.

I did report it to the
Consumer Report To The FTC
Federal Trade Commission

The issue to me is their presentation on the web is not clear and upfront, these are services offered totally independent of the Official agency and the graphics used that have a "look" resembling the agency in question.

I remember when received the USPS mail in the past, it took me a while to compare both envelopes and contents, side by side and establish the differences.
I question the presentation, if somebody decides to use their services must be with a total understanding, then is a free individual choice, as it is now, is muddled and confused.
Will see
It is not in their advantage to bring more attention to this type of practice.

will keep posted

Sayonara

These same document processing companies exist for virtually all government documentation updates.


Probably the largest ones are the companies that process DOT and FMCSA paperwork for commercial vehicles. Several of the required filings are actually free if you go to the .gov website. However, if you have a large fleet of trucks, it just might not be worth your time to go through the free process. So, companies do pay for the service and are happy that they can.


I'm sure there are plenty of boat owners that are happy to put there stuff on auto renewal with these companies. So, these places aren't scams, they are just high priced services for those that feel their time is better used elsewhere. You can't say you support free-market capitalism and then get pissy when you see it in action.

Todd727 said:

These same document processing companies exist for virtually all government documentation updates.


Probably the largest ones are the companies that process DOT and FMCSA paperwork for commercial vehicles. Several of the required filings are actually free if you go to the .gov website. However, if you have a large fleet of trucks, it just might not be worth your time to go through the free process. So, companies do pay for the service and are happy that they can.


I'm sure there are plenty of boat owners that are happy to put there stuff on auto renewal with these companies. So, these places aren't scams, they are just high priced services for those that feel their time is better used elsewhere. You can't say you support free-market capitalism and then get pissy when you see it in action.

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===========================
agree totally
went thru the local DMV registration "non-official" once.
I do not believe the term scam or fraud really apply, as they provide a service.
My objection is to the presentation, graphics and lack of a clear disclaimer on their head page, will save a lot of time and anger.
When I reported to the FTC I was very careful to avoid the terms Fraud and Scam as they really are not, perhaps deceiving?
Any ways
no great harm, except my pride.

CaptTom said:

I wouldn't cancel the dispute unless the refund actually occurs.
I'd bet a pretty good sum that you won't get a refund from the scam company, and if you continue your dispute with the credit card company the scammers will provide proof to the credit card company that it was a legitimate transaction. Not sure they accept "I didn't read the fine print" as an excuse. But I certainly hope so in this case.

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X2 on the above highlighted in red!

Your being addressed by a dock fee company not uscoastguard,i use the notifications to inform me when i need to renew on the us coast guard site not the for fee site that looks like the govt site!!?

I program my phone to remind me when it is coming close to renewal time. Simple and easy.

Davil1 said:

will see how it develops
3 to 5 days to refund...

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Any update? It's been around 5 days now.


I'm very curious to see if/how the scammer tries to weasel out of giving a refund.

CaptTom said:

I wouldn't cancel the dispute unless the refund actually occurs.


I'd bet a pretty good sum that you won't get a refund from the scam company, and if you continue your dispute with the credit card company the scammers will provide proof to the credit card company that it was a legitimate transaction. Not sure they accept "I didn't read the fine print" as an excuse. But I certainly hope so in this case.

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Show a pic of the website.
They often use the US CoastGuard’s logo.
That is all you need to dispute. It’s fraud.
I got my money back in 2017 by showing screenshots of their website. Looked way to much like USCG!!

And BEWARE of brokers setting you up with one of these fraud groups.
They are on the take if they do not use USCG.mil.
I got snookered by my broker in 2015. Skipper Buds Sandusky area, Ohio during closing.
I Paid over $400 for a year. I had no idea. It was my first “big” boat. Shame on them, and Me.

Got my (.mil) renewal notice yesterday, the real thing. I did an online credit card payment, $26 for one year, pretty quick and easy. I didn't see a multi-year choice, unless it was up to me to multiply $26 by each additional year that I wanted and submit a higher payment. I wasn't going to roll the dice though on the automated system knowing what my intention was. Pretty easy, and last year the renewal cert came in the mail in a lightning-fast three or four days. Kind of a pleasant annual task, a signal that in a few months the marina will be dropping the boat back in.

foxbat67 said:

It is not a scammer, it a legit business, I don't use it as it cost more and why not use the real site, they have made the site so much easier to get around in.

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WRONG.
It’s a SCAM.

kthoennes said:

... I didn't see a multi-year choice...

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I was hoping it would be there by now. I'd like to do the 5-year renewal, to give me a bit of time to straighten things out if I sell the house. Don't want my renewal coming up before I've bought a new place.

I renewed today. Paid with credit card. Only renewal option was $26.00 for one year. I looked around on the site, but a one-year renewal was all I could find. There was a notice on the Home page that the site was being updated so maybe the $26.00 option is all that's available at the moment.

Renew too early and you'll shorten your current documentation. Yesterday received a renewal notice seven months before my current documentation expires.

markpierce said:

Renew too early and you'll shorten your current documentation. Yesterday received a renewal notice seven months before my current documentation expires.

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Did you verify it was not one of those scam renewal letters?

From NVDC website:

CODs renewed more than 60 days prior to expiration will be issued with a new issue/expiration date, shortening validity period of document.

CODs renewed 60 days or less from expiration will maintain the same expiration month.

markpierce said:

Renew too early and you'll shorten your current documentation. Yesterday received a renewal notice seven months before my current documentation expires.

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Look closely at the letter and the website link they want you to go to. If it is .mil it is legit. Anything else, .com .us etc. it is a scammer

The CG website fee schedule lists multi year renewals and the forms have instructions for multi year renewal. It is available and has been for a year or two

Chuck34 said:

OK guys, here it is, straight from the horses mouth. We do get 1-5 year renewal.
This is the response I got from NVDC.

There was a law scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2022 whereas Recreational CODs would be issued ONLY for a validity period of 5 years. However, on December 27, 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 was passed which allows the owner or operator of a recreational vessel to choose a period of effectiveness of between 1 and 5 years for an initial or renewal COD.

The fee schedule on the NVDC website says 5 year only, but that will be corrected soon.

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I posted this a couple weeks ago because of all the confusion over 1-5 year renewals. At the time the fee schedule listed only a 5 year renewal. It has now been corrected to show 1-5 year.

Chuck34 said:

The CG website fee schedule lists multi year renewals and the forms have instructions for multi year renewal. It is available and has been for a year or two

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Yes yes, I know that's available, but not if you use the fully automated, really quick online renewal with a credit card payment. If you want multi-year, you have to use a check, fill out forms, and a human has to handle the transaction. I get my (one year) renewal in the mail ridiculously fast, like three or four days later. From the posts on this forum, do it by hand for multi-year and it takes weeks or months. I'm not willing to chance it, when one year is pretty quick and easy. Took me literally four minutes.

kthoennes said:

Yes yes, I know that's available, but not if you use the fully automated, really quick online renewal with a credit card payment. If you want multi-year, you have to use a check, fill out forms, and a human has to handle the transaction. I get my (one year) renewal in the mail ridiculously fast, like three or four days later. From the posts on this forum, do it by hand for multi-year and it takes weeks or months. I'm not willing to chance it, when one year is pretty quick and easy. Took me literally four minutes.

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The directions are to put the number of years of renewal extension on the comment line on the check, and trust them to figure it out after you submit your check. That's what I did, a few weeks ago, the check still hasn't cleared. It seems like a pretty clumsy way to do it, but that's what the directions said...

According to the CG NVDC website, online ordering for 5 year renewals is coming As noted and as people have commented, if you want a 5 year renewal you will need to do it the "old fashioned way" for now. Also as noted, the online option works great for 1 year renewals; took me about 2 minutes to complete.

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

Expanded Online Ordering
12/22/2021 UPDATE: Due to production delays, deployment of the eStorefront application will be postponed until February, 2022. The NVDC will continue to offer all products and services, including one to five year recreational Certificates of Documentation, through traditional modes during this timeframe.

The NVDC site is cryptic, to say the least. Will they always send a renewal notice, or is knowing when to renew on the vessel owner?

HeadedToTexas said:

The NVDC site is cryptic, to say the least. Will they always send a renewal notice, or is knowing when to renew on the vessel owner?

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I have always gotten an official (i.e. from the CG) renewal notice with the renewal form in the mail approx.60 days before my document expired. Not to say that at some point they will move to email notification. I always also put a reminder on my calendar 45 days out, just in case. If you renew 60 days or less you keep the same renewal date.

Roger that. Thank you.

Markpierce, can you say "scam." The real US Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center does not send out renewal notice more than one month in advance.

ProMaritime said:

Markpierce, can you say "scam." The real US Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center does not send out renewal notice more than one month in advance.

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Actually they do. My renewal date is 3/31/22 and I received my renewal letter from the NVDC on Feb 3.

DWJensen said:

Actually they do. My renewal date is 3/31/22 and I received my renewal letter from the NVDC on Feb 3.

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Same here. My renewal date is also 3/31 and I got my (real) renewal notice from Falling Water, WV last week.

CaptTom said:

Did you verify it was not one of those scam renewal letters?

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It wasn't from any government agency.