Government sources that, for obvious reasons, cannot be disclosed here report that the USCG is well aware of these scams, [see this link for the official USCG position on subject, which has links to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/1a25ee8and] report that duped mariners have been fighting back, many successfully, by employing some or all of the following:
1) Immediately contact your credit card company, and dispute the charge as fraudulent. Good luck getting the registry company to answer their phone, but do email them and mail them a copy of your request to cancel any charges. There may be some pushback on this, as the firms involved have their lawyers send nastygrams to the credit card companies, claiming how legitimate they are. It sometimes takes several tries with screenshots of the bogus claims to get them to refund your money. Respectfully ask your credit card company to investigate, and to remove these companies from their list of acceptable merchants.
2) Call the USCG documentation office in Falling waters, WV,(800) 799-8362 and tell them you have been duped, and not to process any renewals until they see the renewal form and check/credit card from you, from your address on the documentation, for the $26 annual fee.
3) Contact the Dept.Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and file a complaint. You won't be the first person they have heard from.[
https://www.oig.dhs.gov/hotline] The FBI has a similar site to file complaints on private firms who attempt to pass themselves off as agencies the federal government.
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https://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx]
4) Display of the USCG, DHS, and Customs and Border Protection emblems on their websites without written permission from the Commandant of the CG, etc. is a violation of the CFRs, and several firms have now removed them-probably not out of the goodness of there hearts.
