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

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe transit across 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 after several shipping companies received messages from scammers impersonating Iranian authorities, requesting 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 February 28, following the initiation of a war by the US and Israel, leaving approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. Recently, the US imposed a naval blockade on the strait and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. Tehran, which controls the strait, proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels in exchange for safe passage on April 9, with the fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks released its warning on Monday, stating that the messages did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fraudulent message, as cited by Marisks, assured vessel owners that upon providing the required documents and assessing their eligibility, the Iranian Security Services would determine the cryptocurrency fee to be paid, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.