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

Shipping companies are being targeted by scammers offering fake 'safe passage' through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. According to reports, at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, has issued a warning about these fraudulent messages, which claim to be from Iranian authorities and ask for bitcoin or USDT in exchange for allowing ships to pass through the strait unimpeded. The scam messages tell shipowners that after providing documents and being assessed by the Iranian Security Services, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, and only then will their vessel be allowed to transit the strait at a pre-agreed time. The warning comes as shipping traffic through the strait remains largely blocked by Iran, with approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf. The situation has been escalating since the US and Israel initiated a war on Iran, prompting a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the seizure of an Iranian vessel attempting to evade the operation. Tehran has proposed the introduction of crypto tolls for vessels in exchange for safe transit, with fees likely to be charged in bitcoin. Marisks has confirmed that these messages are scams and do not originate from official Iranian sources.