Fraudulent messages are being sent to shipowners, asking for cryptocurrency payments in exchange for secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz, 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 after several shipping companies received messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities, requesting bitcoin or USDT payments. The firm believes that at least one ship was targeted and came under fire while attempting to navigate the strait over the weekend. The blockade of the strait, imposed by Iran since February 28, has resulted in approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters being stranded in the Gulf.
The US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, ordered by President Donald Trump, has further complicated the situation, with one Iranian vessel seized for attempting to evade the operation. Recently, Tehran proposed the introduction of cryptocurrency tolls for vessels seeking safe passage, with bitcoin being the likely payment method.
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.