Reports have emerged of shipowners receiving fake messages asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with at least one vessel allegedly falling victim to the scam. According to Reuters, Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning about these messages, which are purportedly from scammers masquerading as Iranian authorities and demanding bitcoin or USDT payments. 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 late February, leaving around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf.
The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade, seizing an Iranian vessel that tried to evade the operation. Recently, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks has assured shipowners that these messages are scams 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.