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

Shipowners are being targeted by scammers with fake messages asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one ship 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 posing as Iranian authorities, demanding bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship was duped and came under fire while attempting to pass through 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. The US has since imposed a naval blockade of the strait and seized an Iranian vessel trying to evade the operation. Tehran, which controls the chokepoint, proposed introducing crypto tolls on vessels in exchange for safe transit on April 9, with the fees likely to be charged in bitcoin. Marisks issued its alert on Monday, stating that the messages did not originate from official Iranian sources. The scammers' message, as cited by Marisks, claimed that after providing 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.