A maritime risk services company has alerted shipowners to a scam in which fraudsters, posing as Iranian officials, are requesting cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. At least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scheme, according to reports.
The scammers are targeting ships stranded due to the Hormuz blockade, with roughly 20,000 oil tankers and freighters currently stuck in the Gulf. The fraudulent messages ask for payment in bitcoin or USDT, with the promise of unimpeded passage through the strait at a pre-agreed time.
Marisks has assured that these messages do not originate from official Iranian sources, and has warned the shipping community to be vigilant against such scams.