Beware - Misleading CG Renewal site

[SailFastTri]

The following site is designed to look like an official site but it does not have the .MIL or .GOV extension, and at the very bottom of the page they have a footnote in small text that is gray on white: "Copyright 2017 U.S. VESSEL DOCUMENTATION | All Rights Reserved. U.S. Vessel Documentation is NOT the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Vessel Documentation Center; we are a third party agency that handles USCG Documentation processing to NVDC."

"https://uscgdocumentation.us/"

The fees on that site are much higher than the official fees.

DON'T BE MISLEAD BY THAT SITE

The real CG site is here: USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, Home Page and you have to click on the "Order Products Online" menu item (you must allow popups or the online ordering link will not open.)

[JPA Cate]

Thanks for posting this clarification.

Ann

[sailerman]

I had an unfortunate (costly) experience with these same fraudsters

uscgdocumentation.us

1. Their website has been up less than 6 months yet they claim to be the world's largest and #1 rated service.

2. They misstate the CFR § 67.500(e) and claims the CFR prohibits them from refunding the processing fees you sent them. The actual CFR prevents the refund of application fees paid directly to the USCG.

3. The site and format has been chosen and designed to make boaters believe they are dealing directly with the USCG.
The only immediate disclosure that they are a 3rd party service is at the very bottom in the smallest print possible.

I am looking for other boaters who have had problems with these Long Beach, CA fraudsters.

[WSMFP]

We were almost bitten by this scam. My fiancé was handling the doc transfer on our newly purchased boat. She calls me and says looks like you can do this all online. I had been all over the USCG official site and didn't remember anything like that. She went ahead and started the process on the scam website but never entered the payment info. Then she emailed it to me and when it asked for $450 which is insane. We quickly canceled. Total scam.

[CSY Man]

I hired these guys to do a documentation job for me.
(Their fee is more than the USCG, but the same as other commercial agencies.)
After they got the Document, they tried to blackmail me wanting more money.
Called the Coast Guard and confirmed the lien was released, no further action necessary, these crooks tried to extract more money for a Lien release form.
Told them I would get my money back from Visa as services was not rendered.
That got the ball rollimg and they threatened me with legal action, damage to my credit and put a lien on my boat.
Don't think so.
Not over yet, but steer clear of theses guys.

Best is to call the USCG, ask what forms you need, and how much to pay.
Then download the forms and do it your self.
$100 instead of $450.

[psk125]

I worked directly with USCG in WVA to reissue our documentation and had no problems. People on the phone were helpful, well-informed and straightforward. Procedure was simple. Ask questions and follow the directions and you're good. Paying for "services" to interface with government employees who theoretically already work for you, since you are a taxpayer, is silly.

[BillyBobtx]

Just renewed today. Called and talked to Cindy. Step one: is to go to WWW.Pay.Gov
Step 2: In the "fill in" field it asks for "forms or agencies". Just type in NVDC. Which stands for National Vessel Documentation Center. Then click the red button twice and you are there. Make sure you have your vessel official number and you are "off to the races". It does not matter if you pay online or by check, it was $26.00 for a recreational 35 footer. The renewal also offers a fax # where you can fax the renewal form with your signature, but it is not required if you pay by computer- you just swear (affidavit?) that no changes have been made since you last renewed.

NVDC according to their renewal form can be reached at (800) 799-8362 or (304) 271-2400. If I recall correctly they are closed to phone calls on Thursday.

The above is for annual renewal- newly registered- I think I would make the phone call.

Bill K.

[CaptTom]

I almost fell for this one, too. If you Google "us coast guard vessel documentation renewal" this is the first ad.

The REAL search results start out with legitimate .mil sites. From there it's pretty easy to figure out the correct procedure Bill outlined above. It sounds complicated but it's VERY simple, I had my $26 fee paid and my renewal completed in minutes.

Moral of the story: NEVER click on ads at the top of the Google results. This only encourages them. Many ads are not for legitimate sites, or not really what you're looking for. Always go to the results section, and look at the domain name before clicking anything. Particularly the extension (.mil in this case.)

Better yet, switch to DuckDuckGo as your default search engine. I'm not ready to wear a tin-foil hat, but I sort of like lowering my visibility to advertisers, so I gave it a try. It's probably 99% as good as Google, with none of the baggage. And for the search above, the documentation scam site was third, after two legitimate .mil sites. Not at the top, like Google.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Moral of the story: NEVER click on ads at the top of the Google results. This only encourages them. Many ads are not for legitimate sites, or not really what you're looking for. Always go to the results section, and look at the domain name before clicking anything. Particularly the extension (.mil in this case.)

Excellent word to the wise. I found the same scammer website last time I renewed my documentation and only figured out it was a scam when I got the the payment page and no, I didn't fill that one in.

Another very similar problem I've started seeing in recent weeks, manual scams. I keep most manuals for electronics and such on the boat but occasionally want to read or research something at home, so go online to read the manual. Lately when I search for the manual the top results are usually not from the manufacturer but from other websites that want you to install an app to download the manual. I've never had to install anything more than Adobe to read or download any manual so my BS meter started flashing red. No idea what the app does but at the very least I'm betting will install adware or something on your computer.

[cabo_sailor]

I'm usually very careful but to my shame I got sucked in , I was suspicious of the price but it had been so long since I dealt with Coast Guard, my old documentation had somehow expired plus I wanted to add my wife as co-owner so I just bit the bullet. They did follow up promptly with the title abstract I requested. My only hope is that although they ripped me off on the cost, I will get the new documentation.

Not in my defense but I do have to admit it was a very slick phishing job. The only dead giveaway that I didn't realize at the time was the .us domain extension instead of .mil.

What I also don't understand is why the Coast Guard doesn't shut them down. They MUST know about them by now!!

[Chuck34]

They are slick. Sucked me in as well just assuming the CG had raised their fee to $75. Won't happen again

[sailerman]

Always something to be thankful for like not falling for the 5 year renewal plan from uscgdocumentation.us at $75 times 5 or $375 versus the normal $26 times 5 or $130.

[boatpoker]

The site under discussion is run by a so called marine surveyor with questionable surveying credentials. Would you hire this guy to do a survey for you ?

[Chuck34]

Guys, get the word out and let as many people as possible about this scam

[JPA Cate]

Chuck, it certainly feels like a scam, but it is not. The business is misleading and and greedy and unnecessary, but it is not at this time illegal. Scams are illegal frauds. I Googled it yesterday.

If people take their complaints to the Post Office fraud section, or to the Board of Trade, perhaps the business will be taken to court and shown to not be legal, at which point they will disappear. Taking action will make people feel better if they were tricked.

The business does state their disclaimers, and I personally find what they do and how they do it extremely distasteful, but it is wise to steer clear of libel, just as you would a marine hazard.

Ann