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

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, requesting cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe transit across the Strait of Hormuz, with reports indicating that at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. Marisks, a maritime risk services company, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers impersonating Iranian authorities, asking for payments in bitcoin or USDT. The company believes that at least one ship was deceived and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait over the weekend. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since late February, leaving around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. The U.S. has initiated a naval blockade, seizing an Iranian vessel that tried to evade the operation. 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 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 at a pre-agreed time.