Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/07/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  6/29/22 This merchant is impersonating an official government website. They mailed me a renewal notice that looked like the US Coast Guard.I went to this vessel renewal website. It too looked like the official USCG renewal website, so I proceeded. After I submitted my request, wording in the confirmation made me suspicious, so I read further and realized they arent actually part of the Coast Guard. Within three minutes I called their office and spoke to a representative. I immediately asked them to cancel my request, and to not charge my credit card. The representative said that he could not help me, but that would refer my request over to a different department and have them get back to me within 1 to 2 days. I also immediately sent an email requesting not to proceed, and to refund my $375. I called and emailed again a few days later. They finally responded by email July 6 and stated that they are already processing the paperwork and that all sales are final. They refused my refund. Therefore I submitted a complaint with my credit card company to have the charges reversed. My credit card company worked with them for quite some time, and finally reverse the charge on my behalf. The business has now sent me an email, threatening to file a lien against my vessel. They are now demanding $540 or they will file this lien. I have kept the email correspondence and can share with you. Their website is. Vesselrenewal.us I eventually received my US Coast Guard registration in the mail. However, had I done this directly on the US Coast Guard website, it wouldve only cost me $130. They offer no value for their services.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/15/2022

  Good Day,

   

  Please see the attached response regarding complaint #********.

   

  Thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Got a letter in the mail saying my **** Documentation was set to expire and referred me to their portal for renewal. I've gotten these letters before. This time they almost got me. I'm just about to depart for an overseas trip and thought I had all my paperwork in order. You open the letter saying your documentation is set to expire.. you better renew fast at their nvdcrenewal.us website.. but, then again, you've already renewed.. Oh wait, it's that scam again. Their not actually the **** National Vessel Documentation Center. They're just the National Documentation Center with a pseudo govt seal as their logo. And the ****** in their web URL is, in fact, the exact abbreviation for the official **** entity. How are these guys still operating without at least some disclaimer that they are not official ****? They clearly present as such. They offer nothing value-added to the official **** Doc process and just sew confusion as to whether or not the official documentation you have on board is actually valid--documentation you rely on the successfully navigate the clearance formalities of other countries. It really ought to be criminal. It's as though the annoying robocalls found their wat to the open seas, except they're more pernicious.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/15/2022

  Good Day,

   

  Please see that attached response to complaint #********.

   

  Thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I used the service to renew the 3 year registration for my boat. The website is difficult to use and I tried several times before the transaction went through. Later I checked my credit card statement online and found that I had been charged twice. I contacted the service and they said sorry no refunds. i then contacted my credit card company and had the repeat payment the second payment stopped. Now I am being sent threatening email and letters saying that a lien is being put on my boat if I don't pay the repeat payment plus fees.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2022

  Good Day,

   

  Please see the attached response to the complaint received for #********.

   

  Thank you 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/24/2022

   
  Complaint: 18242980
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Having a website that is difficult to use that crashes during checkout is not an excuse to charge me twice for the same service. There is no such thing as double documentation. I paid for my boat documentation to be renewed. I'm not sure why ***** is insisting on being paid twice for the service that was only provide once.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/03/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Coast guard renewal scam. They send me these notices every year , and they are NOT the coast guard and charge excessive fees to renew your documents. They need to be prosecuted and shut down.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2022

  Good Morning,

   

  Please see the attached response to the complaint #********.

   

  Thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a small 26 year old boat that i have to renew its certification each year with the ** Coast Guard. I received a letter from Vessel Renewal that was very official looking and I mistook it for an official notice from the ************* Coast Guard. I have been renewing my old boat for over 25 years now directly with the ***** When I saw their official looking communications that said I could renew for 5 years at $375 went ahead and submitted payment, again thinking i was renewing directly with ***** This company, who is not USCG, then incorrectly classifies my boat as commercial and says they will do my renewal each year for the next five years. Had i renewed directly with USCG it would have been an automatic renewal for five years. This company, since they, in error, classified my boat as commercial, said 5 year renewal was not allowed and they would do it for me each year. I asked they only renew me for year one at $75 and refund $300. (Note that renewal cost directly with USCG is only $26 a year, $131 for 5 years. The five year renewal option is new.) When this company refused i contested the charge with my credit card company who then rejected my objection. i objected to the charge through my credit card company. And even though they have my $375, they now tell me they have canceled my certification so Im out both my money and five years of renewal. And they only deal via email. I am unable to talk to anyone in their billing department to clear up and they only seem to send me automated response. Very impersonal business, they obviously have angered numerous users with their inflexibility and misleading communications on being a private company not official ***** If they continue to refused to work with me i will take them to small claims court here in *****. Can you help me by providing me with what you have on them? I want them to change their approach and not make money on folks thinking they are dealing directly with ***** Thanks!

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2022

  Good Day,

   

  Please see attached the response in regards to complaint #********.

   

  Thank you 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2022

   
  Complaint: 18129026
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 1) Their solicitation letter and web site are designed to appear official USCG communications. Based on numerous other complaints you have received, and Ive seen on various social media sites, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other folks that feel the same.

  2) They made an error in classifying my boat as commercial, its purely recreational. As a result they are unable to renew my certification with USCG for five years. Because they erred on my certificate they have to manually renew for me for the next 4 years. Thats not what I was provided for the $375 i paid. I dont want to have to depend on them being competent, which in my case they are not.

  3) This business profits off being deceptive in their offering and deserves the * rating BBB rated them on long before i started my crusade to reveal them as what they really are- a business that profits off deception. 

   4) My offer to pay them $75 for one year certification (which theyve already done) still stands. Refund me the  $300 difference and Ill be satisfied they can be a responsible company and Ill withdraw all my complaints.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

   

   

  Business Response

  Date: 10/12/2022

  Hello,

   

  Please see the attached response to the rebuttal for complaint #********.

   

  Thank you 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/12/2022

   
  Complaint: 18129026
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this company has numerous complaints against them from other complainants for misleading communications, BBB rating them an F and not allowing direct communication with any direct employees (they utilize an LLC in ******* to field all calls). it's clear they want to hide from complainants like me. If they were innocent and their communications were not misleading why not allow direct discussion which i have asked for several times? 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/16/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Represented their self as uscg, had all my (personal info) rushed me through a process about my boat being pass due on documentation so I agreed to take care of it.Finished the phone call and got off ,something didn't seem right so checked on the internet and found it was a scam so called right back an canceled they said ok, still didn't feel right so stopped payment and canceled my card. thought it was taken care of but now I received a email stating they were putting a lein on my vessel This place should be shut down.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2022

  Good Day,

   

  Please see the attached response in regard to the complaint received for #********.

   

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/13/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This is an online company with no physical address pretending to be an official **** GOVERNMENT AGENCY, representing the United States Coast Guard. It is a complete FRAUD and SCAM asking for all personal information including physical address's, SSN's, etc. In addition, they charge an extreme amount of money for the exact same services the U.S. COAST GUARD provides and offers. Their fraudulent website and shady operation is extremely deceptive to the maritime consumer. This company should be legally dissolved and held accountable for ABSOLUTE FRAUD and their charges for absolutely zero service provided.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Please see the attached response to the complain received for #********.

   

  Thank you