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

Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, requesting cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with reports suggesting at least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scam. Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services firm, has issued a warning after several shipping companies received messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities, demanding bitcoin or USDT payments. The company believes that at least one ship was duped and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait over the weekend. The strait 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 of Hormuz and seized an Iranian vessel attempting to evade the operation. Previously, Tehran proposed introducing cryptocurrency tolls for vessels in exchange for safe passage, with fees likely to be paid in bitcoin. Marisks has assured that the messages are scams and did not originate from official Iranian sources. The fraudulent messages claim that upon providing documents and assessing eligibility, a fee in cryptocurrency will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time.