Scammers Target Ships Stranded by Hormuz Blockade with Fake Crypto Payment Schemes

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, requesting cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. According to Reuters, Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities, demanding bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship was targeted and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait over the weekend. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, following the initiation of a war by the US and Israel, leaving approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. In response to the US naval blockade, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with bitcoin being the likely payment method. Marisks has assured that these messages are scams and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fraudulent messages claim that upon providing documents and being assessed by the Iranian Security Services, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.