Scammers Target Ships Stuck in Hormuz, Demand Crypto for 'Safe Passage'

Ship owners have been receiving fake messages asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with at least one vessel reportedly falling victim to the scam. According to Reuters, Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning about the scam, in which scammers pose as Iranian authorities and ask for bitcoin or USDT payments. The company believes that at least one ship has been targeted and was fired upon while attempting to pass through the strait. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, leaving around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. The US has initiated a naval blockade of the strait and has seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. Iran had previously proposed charging cryptocurrency tolls on vessels in exchange for safe transit, with fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks has assured that the messages are a scam and did not come from official Iranian sources. The fake messages ask ship owners to provide documents and pay a fee in cryptocurrency, promising that their vessel will be able to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.