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

A recent wave of fraudulent messages has been targeting shipowners, asking for crypto payments in exchange for unhindered passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. According to Reuters, Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning about these messages, which claim to be from Iranian authorities and request bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship has been duped and was subsequently fired upon while attempting to navigate the strait. The shipping industry has been severely impacted by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been in place since February 28, resulting in approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters being stranded in the Gulf. The situation escalated further when the U.S. initiated a naval blockade of the strait and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. In response, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with the fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks has assured the shipping community that these messages are scams and do not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake messages typically state, 'After providing the documents and assessing your eligibility by the Iranian Security Services, we will be able to determine the fee to be paid in cryptocurrency (BTC or USDT). Only then will your vessel be able to transit the strait unimpeded at the pre-agreed time.' The shipping company has not commented on the matter, despite being contacted by CoinDesk.