Scammers Impersonate Iranian Authorities to Target Stranded Ships with Crypto Scams in Hormuz

Shipowners have been receiving deceptive messages requesting crypto payments in exchange for unhindered passage across the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting that at least one vessel has been duped. According to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services firm, issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities, demanding bitcoin or USDT payments. The company believes that at least one ship fell prey to the scam and was fired upon while attempting to navigate the strait over the weekend. The strait has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, following the initiation of a war by the US and Israel, resulting in approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters being stranded in the Gulf. In response to the situation, US President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and seized an Iranian vessel attempting to evade the operation. Tehran, which controls the strategic chokepoint, proposed the introduction of cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with the fees likely to be paid in bitcoin, according to Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union. Marisks released its alert on Monday, stating that the messages did not originate from official Iranian sources, and cautioned that 'these specific messages are a scam.' The fraudulent message, as cited by Marisks, assured the recipient that upon providing the required documents and assessing 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.