Annoying USCG Vessel Documentation scam....

[bobdugan]

I just received a very official looking letter from:

U.S. Vessel Documentation

on official looking letterhead with very official looking email and web addresses like:

www.uscgdocumentation.us

the letter reads:

"Attention: At this time, records indicate that your vessel's USCG Documentation is SET TO EXPIRE..." etc.

There's a phone number to call to renew my USCG documentation as well as a website that I can use to renew my documentation online.

Here's the thing. This organization "U.S. Vessel Documentation" is a scam and has nothing to do with the USCG or the US Government. It's an annoying parasite that is happy to take your money and waste your time doing something that you can easily do by going to this weblink:

https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/1175233

Hope this helps other folks that get this letter from "U.S. Vessel Documentation".

Bob

[Jim Walsh]

You are wise to have avoided the trap. I first became aware of the outfit over the winter after reading of a similar experience on another forum. It's unfortunate these fraudulent schemes exist.

[jen1722terry]

Sorry, hit the wrong key.

Anyhow, we realized In June that we had not received our 2018 USCG doc, so we googled "vessel doc renewal" and got led to an official looking site. We sent them $125 in our rush. Bad move.

They sent us several "requests for more information." We repeatedly supplied the same information, but no doc. We finally paused to think about this and I then recalled a report on this forum about this very scam.

They never sent a doc (we eventually got it mailed to our marina here in Maine for free from the USCG). And, when we contested the charge with our credit card, they sent us a very hostile and threatening email trying to dissuade us from contesting the charge for a service that they never delivered.

We'll see what happens. We've become very wary of scams since our retirement, but this one slipped by us.

But the good news is that we are now at our seasonal mooring in lovely Northeast Harbor looking forward to seeing all of you on August 3. In fact, a CD 36, "Islander" from Charleston, SC, just pulled in the harbor. Nice looking boat with the navy blue topsides.

If anyone else is headed this way, we're at float 344-E on the east side of the harbor. We share the float with a Beneteau 46. Stop by if you're in the harbor. PM if you want or phone or email.

Jenn and Terry

[Capt Hook]

I got a similar letter last year and again this year.

I think this year if you read closely it may have said they were not the USCG.

I think when I got the letter this year it triggered me to look into renewing my certificatewith the USCG like I did last year but if I'd done it at the time I would have lost a few months. I forget the details but if you renew maybe 60 or 90 days early your new certificate will renew in the same month next year as your current one but if you renew earlier than that the new certificate will expire earlier and you'll lose a few months. That happened to me a year or so ago.

See also.

https://www.boatus.com/pressroom/release.asp?id=1280

This is from the USCG site.

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.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Check this website (USCG official site) to determine if your vessel has been properly documented or if you have been scammed:

https://cgmix.uscg.mil/PSIX/PSIXSearch.aspx

You will need your vessel's "official number"

This is the official website for USCG Vessel Documentation Center.

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organizati ... tact-Info/

They are located in Falling Waters, WV. One might reasonably ask "why Falling Waters, WV " Thank you Senator Robert Byrd, the King of "pork barrel politics". An interesting "factoid". Falling Waters, WV, is not located near any large body of water (neither ocean nor lake). There is a small river running near the facility called the "Potomac".

If you received a legit "Certificate of Documentation" the lower right-hand corner of the document will have an embossed symbol for "United States Coast Guard 1790".

I believe the above is accurate but is subject to change and modification without notice.