USCG Documentation Renewal Trap

[Rich Stidger]

I know that there are a number of CG renewal services out there, but I received a very official looking letter a couple days ago. It stated it was my final notice although I could not find any prior notice. Going to the website it told me that only 5 year renewals were now available per the CG Act Sec. 512. The total was $375!

I almost fell for it. Then I realized that it was a service and not the actual CG.

So I went directly to the CG site and renewed for one year for $26.

Owners BEWARE!

Here is the top of the service's website:

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Barnum was right. Good job recognizing it.

 

[BigEasy]

Had a friend who recently received the same notification. He complained to me about the renewal cost. I told him that I renewed my certificate in February at a cost of $26. He insisted that the fee had recently changed and gave me the web address payment portal.
I knew immediately that this was a scam and directed him to the official US Coast Guard Documentation Center site, and of course, the renewal options remain $26 or a five year option for $130. He was really pissed and declared that these scams should be illegal. I agree that these firms are deceiving the public and the feds should make them state that they are a third party business and not the Coast Guard. I have received them also, and they really do appear to be official mail pieces.

 

[PaulK]

I agree that these firms are deceiving the public and the feds should make them state that they are a third party business and not the Coast Guard. I have received them also, and they really do appear to be official mail pieces.

Look at the website! It clearly states that it is an online private processing firm. Of course they break it up by putting it on different lines and in different colors, so it isn't totally clear to the first-time reader... They sent me an official-looking letter too--- for the boat I sold last year. Anything for a buck.

 

[FastOlson]

Regularly, even BoatUS warns members about this scam.
They have some small print in their web site that states that they are not actually the federal government, so they avoid prosecution.
I dimly recall a saying from another century that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"... and deceptive companies like this always wrap themselves in the old red-white-and-blue.......

Note the stock photo of a USCG vessel on their front page!!

And as pointed out, PT Barnum was certainly right!

 

[MikeHoncho]

It’s not a scam. It’s a private service that you agree to use without reading the print. Moral? Maybe not but defiantly not a scam. If it was a scam you wouldn’t be getting your boat renewed.

 

[jssailem]

If it was a scam you wouldn’t be getting your boat renewed.

A couple of years ago that is exactly what happened. They offered a multi year renewal. They charged a premium for the convenience. Paid for a year, then went out of business. Very convenient.
This was before the CG offered a multiple year option.

By the way, how does the multi year option work if you sell your boat in year 2.5 of a 5 year registration?

 

[BigEasy]

It’s not a scam. It’s a private service that you agree to use without reading the print. Moral?

Certainly deceitful advertising. If this occurred with a mainstream product, you better believe that consumer & government agencies would be all over it. Minimal result would be that ads are banned or maximum result would fines.

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

I almost fell for a scam Marriage renewal service!

 

[MikeHoncho]

A couple of years ago that is exactly what happened. They offered a multi year renewal. They charged a premium for the convenience. Paid for a year, then went out of business. Very convenient.
This was before the CG offered a multiple year option.

By the way, how does the multi year option work if you sell your boat in year 2.5 of a 5 year registration?

I don’t know. Every year since the multi year option was offered, I never see the option.

 

[MFD]

Yeah - that scammer place has been around for quite some years. I am surprised they are still in business. They must have figured out how to thread the needle just right between being a total scam, a legitimate service, and mis-representing the actual USCG/FedGovt. I still get snail mail from them I think once a year.

Separate topic - I heard the USCT is moving to 5-year (or maybe 10?) on recreational vessel documentation renewal? My latest was only 1-year again - but also the boat goes into Canada, etc. FCC, border control, everybody else is on 10-year cycles for documents long ago.