Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, requesting crypto payments in exchange for safe passage through the Hormuz Strait, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. According to Reuters, Marisks, a maritime risk services company, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers claiming to be Iranian authorities, asking for bitcoin or USDT. The firm believes at least one ship was duped and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait. The strait 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. Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with fees likely to be paid in bitcoin.
Marisks has confirmed that these messages are scams and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fraudulent messages claim that upon providing documents and assessing eligibility, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded.