Scammers Targeting Ships Stuck in Hormuz with Fake 'Safe Passage' Offers

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, asking for crypto payments in exchange for unobstructed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. Marisks, a maritime risk services firm, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers claiming to be Iranian authorities, requesting bitcoin or USDT payments. The company 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 US has initiated a naval blockade of the strait and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. Iran recently 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 assessing eligibility, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.