Scammers Target Ships Stranded by Hormuz Blockade with Fake 'Safe Passage' Offers

A wave of fraudulent messages is targeting shipowners, asking for crypto payments in exchange for unimpeded passage across the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers claiming to be Iranian authorities and requesting bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship was duped and subsequently 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, when the US and Israel launched a military campaign against the country, leaving around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. The US has since imposed a naval blockade on the strait and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. Earlier this month, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels in exchange for safe transit, with bitcoin being the likely currency for these fees. Marisks has assured shipowners that the messages are a scam and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fraudulent messages claim that after 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.