Scammers Target Ships with Fake 'Safe Passage' Offers Through Hormuz, Demanding Crypto Payments

Shipping companies are being targeted by fraudulent messages promising safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments, 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 fake messages, which claim to be from Iranian authorities and request payments in bitcoin or USDT. The scam has emerged amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions and a blockade of the strait, which has left approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. The situation began escalating on February 28, when the US and Israel initiated military action against Iran, prompting Tehran to propose the introduction of cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe transit through the strait. Marisks' alert was issued in response to several shipping companies receiving the fraudulent messages, which assure recipients that upon providing the required documents and payment, their vessels will be allowed to pass through the strait unimpeded. The messages are believed to be scams, with Marisks emphasizing that they do not originate from official Iranian sources.