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

A new wave of scams is targeting shipowners stuck in the Strait of Hormuz, with fraudsters posing as Iranian officials and demanding cryptocurrency payments in exchange for a supposed 'safe passage'. According to reports from Reuters, at least one vessel may have fallen victim to this scam. Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning about these fake messages, which ask for bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship has been duped and was even fired upon while attempting to navigate the strait. The scam comes as shipping traffic through the Hormuz has been severely disrupted since February 28, with around 20,000 oil tankers and freighters currently stranded in the Gulf. The US and Israel initiated a conflict with Iran, leading to a naval blockade of the strait by the US. In response, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage. However, Marisks has confirmed that the messages asking for crypto payments are scams and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake 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. Marisks has assured shipowners that these messages are fraudulent and did not come from legitimate Iranian authorities.