Scammers Target Ships Stranded by Hormuz Blockade with Fake 'Safe Passage' Offers

A wave of fraudulent messages is targeting shipowners, demanding cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have been duped. Marisks, a maritime risk services company, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received fake messages purporting to be from Iranian authorities, requesting bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship was deceived and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait. The warning comes amid a significant backlog of shipping traffic, with approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters stranded in the Gulf due to the blockade. The situation has been escalating since the US and Israel initiated military action against Iran, prompting a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with bitcoin being the likely payment method. Marisks' alert emphasizes that these messages are scams and do not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake messages claim that upon providing documents and eligibility assessment by the Iranian Security Services, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded. The shipping company has yet to comment on the matter.