USCG Documentation

Yesterday I renewed the boats documentation. Three years ago it was free, two years ago it cost $26, yesterday it was $75. When it was free they mailed you a a renewal letter, you signed it and mailed it back. I assume human hands came in contact with it somewhere along the line when it was received. Yesterday I did it all online including payment. No human hands except mine involved. Never fails, give the Govt. an inch, they take a mile.
Rant complete,carry on.

Gulf Comanche said:

Yesterday I renewed the boats documentation. Three years ago it was free, two years ago it cost $26, yesterday it was $75. When it was free they mailed you a a renewal letter, you signed it and mailed it back. I assume human hands came in contact with it somewhere along the line when it was received. Yesterday I did it all online including payment. No human hands except mine involved. Never fails, give the Govt. an inch, they take a mile.
Rant complete,carry on.

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Are sure you renewed through the "official" USCG site? I believe it's still $26.

https://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/forms/cg1280.pdf

https://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/instr/fee sch.pdf

https://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/instr/inst renewal.pdf

I renewed mine in January and it was still $26 .

Gulf Comanche said:

Never fails, give the Govt. an inch, they take a mile.
Rant complete,carry on.

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Rant misdirected.

-Chris

Gulf Comanche said:

Yesterday I renewed the boats documentation. Three years ago it was free, two years ago it cost $26, yesterday it was $75. When it was free they mailed you a a renewal letter, you signed it and mailed it back. I assume human hands came in contact with it somewhere along the line when it was received. Yesterday I did it all online including payment. No human hands except mine involved. Never fails, give the Govt. an inch, they take a mile.
Rant complete,carry on.

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Unfortunately, you fell victim to a ruse:

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s62/fake-uscg-registration-30171.html

You got took.

Gulf Comanche said:

Yesterday I renewed the boats documentation. ... Never fails, give the Govt. an inch, they take a mile.
Rant complete,carry on.

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On the contrary, you've been screwed by the free enterprise system.

I renewed Monday for $26 with the real Coast Guard.

OK ok my fault, all on me, solo. The letter they sent looked official, as did the website. Called my credit card company and the $75 had not posted yet, so I got it disputed and erased but had to get a new card number, which in this case, was a good thing. The letter was from U.S. Vessel Documentation.

Gulf Comanche said:

OK ok my fault, all on me, solo. The letter they sent looked official, as did the website. Called my credit card company and the $75 had not posted yet, so I got it disputed and erased but had to get a new card number, which in this case, was a good thing. The letter was from U.S. Vessel Documentation.

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Please keep us posted. If your experience is like others that have used that site and canceled, you'll be hearing from them.

They already heard from me by phone this morning. To them I say "bring it".

I was in Sitka a couple of weeks ago and at the head of the dock ramp there was a USCG notice posted warning people about this "service", and reminding them that they can renew directly with the USCG for $26

Gulf Comanche said:

They already heard from me by phone this morning. To them I say "bring it".

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Keep us informed. It also wouldn't hurt to file a complaint with your state's consumer protection division.

dhays said:

Keep us informed. It also wouldn't hurt to file a complaint with your state's consumer protection division.

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Good idea, will do. Thanks.

Gulf Comanche said:

They already heard from me by phone this morning. To them I say "bring it".

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Just be aware that the law is on their side completely, so if they choose to bring it, they can do so, up to and including getting a lien on your boat. I know they do threaten and they do have a lawyer associate for nasty letters. I do not know if they've ever taken it further. As to the credit card dispute, they get many of those too and have a record of winning them. Yes, they're devious. Yes, you made a mistake. But they also know what they're doing from a legal viewpoint, so be careful. It may not all be worth the $49 you're saving.

On their website and social media sites, in plain sight:


U.S. Vessel Documentation Inc. is a private company, not the U.S. Government.

US Vessel Documentation, Inc. is NOT the National Vessel Documentation Center; we are the nation's #1 rated agency that handles USCG Documentation processing to NVDC.


Devious- yes. Illegal- not in my opinion.

Band B & Pau: that's all true, but its devious as hell. website is uscgdocumentation.us looks pretty official. I called a a few minutes ago and cancelled the order, the guy says no problem, he send it over to the cancellation dept. We'll see how this goes.

Pau Hana said:

On their website and social media sites, in plain sight:


U.S. Vessel Documentation Inc. is a private company, not the U.S. Government.

US Vessel Documentation, Inc. is NOT the National Vessel Documentation Center; we are the nation's #1 rated agency that handles USCG Documentation processing to NVDC.


Devious- yes. Illegal- not in my opinion.

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Perfectly legal as they provide a service. It happens to be one you don't need and not worth the $49 but it's a service. They take your information and they submit it to the CG.

Ont thing to understand is that companies like this that operate in that shady area of legal but deceptive know the laws and rules very well. They deal with complaints and stopped payments daily. It's much like the scam telemarketers who take advantage of the elderly but you get the tape of the conversation and you'll find the elderly man did place the order.

Gulf Comanche said:

Band B & Pau: that's all true, but its devious as hell. website is uscgdocumentation.us looks pretty official. I called a a few minutes ago and cancelled the order, the guy says no problem, he send it over to the cancellation dept. We'll see how this goes.

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If they had not yet sent it in, you may stand a chance. However, if they'd actually submitted the order plus the $26 to the CG, then you can't cancel. In fact, by cancelling the payment you'd be committing a crime. Just keep that in mind. There business is built on deception, but they are pros at it.

I received the letter this week, it is deceptive, the intent is deceit- why else would they create a WV return address? The mail is postmarked California, they use a lot of bureaucratic-sounding drivel and refer the recipient to their website, equally deceptive.

It may be legal, that doesn't make it righteous. They do have a disclaimer that they are a third party agent, but it's phrased in a way that doesn't really indicate that the recipient has the choice to use the USCG site: "...Use of our process requires payment of a service fee in addition to the government renewal application fee. " Further on... "You are under no obligation to utilize our firm's service.

So while they are probably exactly within the law, the business model is based on sleight- if they were honest and forthcoming that they're charging a premium to provide a service that is unnecessary, they'd fail.

I did file a complaint with USPS because the mailing is deceptive and has the intent of creating the illusion that the recipient is dealing with an official US government agency. It's not likely to have any impact, but something about a business that operates on the shady side compels me to act. Enough complaints may result in action that will compel them to be more honest and save a fellow boater the hassle of dealing with this underhanded schmuck.

Maerin said:

I did file a complaint with USPS because the mailing is deceptive and has the intent of creating the illusion that the recipient is dealing with an official US government agency. It's not likely to have any impact, but something about a business that operates on the shady side that compels me to act. Enough complaints may result in action that will compel them to be more honest and save a fellow boater the hassle of dealing with this underhanded schmuck.

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Rest assured there have been a lot of complaints to every possible person or group. If anyone like a state attorney general went aggressively, then the normal is to agree to a slight change in mail and web. I think they've already been through that and this is actually the improved version.

My biggest complaint regarding them is with Google which sells them the number on ad position if you search for USCG documentation.

BandB said:

Rest assured there have been a lot of complaints to every possible person or group. If anyone like a state attorney general went aggressively, then the normal is to agree to a slight change in mail and web. I think they've already been through that and this is actually the improved version.

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I think you are correct. I have been following this for a while now and there are constant, and subtle changes to their text. Just enough to keep them inside the interpretation of the law.

The companies actions are certainly legal, but just as clearly unethical. Unfortunately, the general public and likely even states AG don't have a lot of tears to shed for "rich" yacht owners who are paying an extra $50 to register their vessels.

dhays said:

I think you are correct. I have been following this for a while now and there are constant, and subtle changes to their text. Just enough to keep them inside the interpretation of the law.

The companies actions are certainly legal, but just as clearly unethical. Unfortunately, the general public and likely even states AG don't have a lot of tears to shed for "rich" yacht owners who are paying an extra $50 to register their vessels.

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Far worse are those scamming elderly with mailers making it appear they are social security and then some of the telemarketing to elderly, plus direct mail like Publisher's Clearing House which tell them they are winners and gets them to buy something, then gets them on a regular program of purchasing every month and has "proof" they agreed to it. Typically the only way to stop the bank withdrawals if they used a checking account is closing the account, and for a credit card, cancelling the card.

I would say to those here who have fallen for it. If the dumbest move you make is one that costs you only $50 then consider yourself either very smart or very lucky. I'm sure most of us at some point in our lives have spent much more on something totally useless.

Yup. I am a US Green Card holder. I received a letter from what looked like INS saying it was time to renew the card, which it was. My wife, who is American and thought she was doing me a favor, opened it and started to fill it in on my behalf and the fee was $470. She asked me if it was ok to put the check in the mail I said, it shouldn't cost that much and I looked it up and it was a legitimate company that files on your behalf and charges double the fee. The letter leads you to believe that you are dealing with the government unless you read the very small print on the bottom of the third page. You can do it online yourself, which is what I did.

Larry M said:

Are sure you renewed through the "official" USCG site? I believe it's still $26.



https://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/forms/cg1280.pdf

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How often is this required?

DC36Monk said:

How often is this required?

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It's annual. $26 if on time. $31 up to 30 days late. $84 if more than 30 days late as you have to go through a redocumentation process.

There was talk and I think plans of doing it less frequently which would reduce the workload significantly, but don't have any idea what has become of that.

The CG is supposed to be changing it to a 5 year renewal I think. No word on when it will take effect.

The Admiral got a real official looking letter yesterday saying she was awarded $1.2 million. To claim the funds, just send in a check for $12.95. Hasn't Trump banned the immigration of Nigerian princes and barristers yet?

Does the REAL Coast Guard sent out a renewal letter, or now you have to keep track yourself??

Next the USCG will charge $75!!