Shipping companies have been receiving fake messages asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure transit across 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, issued a warning about the scam, which involves fraudsters posing as Iranian authorities and requesting bitcoin or USDT payments.
The firm believes that at least one ship was duped and came under fire while attempting to pass through 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 around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf.
The US has since imposed a naval blockade and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade it. Recently, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels in exchange for safe passage, with the fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks alerted shipping companies to the scam on Monday, stating that the messages did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake messages claimed that upon providing documents and assessing eligibility, the Iranian Security Services would determine the cryptocurrency fee to be paid, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.