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

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for unhindered passage 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 fake messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities, requesting bitcoin or USDT. The firm believes that at least one ship was duped 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 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. Iran had proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels in exchange for safe passage, with fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks has assured that the messages are scams and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake 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.