Deceptive digital thieves promise maritime security guarantees, potentially duping a vessel in the Middle East's strategic waterway.
A wave of deceptive messages has been targeting shipowners, asking them to pay cryptocurrencies in exchange for unhindered passage through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by Reuters on Tuesday, it appears that at least one vessel may have fallen prey to this scam.
Marisks, a Greece-based firm specializing in maritime risk services, has sounded the alarm, revealing that multiple shipping companies have received fake messages purporting to be from Iranian authorities. These messages demand payment in bitcoin or USDT in order to ensure safe transit. The company suspects that one ship may have been duped into paying the crypto toll and was subsequently attacked while navigating the strait over the weekend.
The situation in the region has been tense since February 28, when the US and Israel launched military action against Iran, resulting in a significant disruption to shipping traffic through the strait. Approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters are currently stranded in the Gulf, awaiting clearance to pass through the strait.
In a recent development, US President Donald Trump imposed a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz on April 9, and Iranian authorities have proposed introducing cryptocurrency-based tolls for vessels seeking safe passage. Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran's oil and gas exporters' union, suggested that bitcoin could be the preferred cryptocurrency for these payments.
On Monday, Marisks issued a warning to shipping companies, emphasizing that the messages requesting crypto payments are fraudulent and do not originate from official Iranian sources. The fake messages claim that upon submission of documents and assessment by Iranian security services, a cryptocurrency fee will be determined, allowing the vessel to transit the strait without obstruction.
The exact wording of one such message, as cited by Marisks, reads: "After providing the documents and assessing your eligibility by the Iranian Security Services, we will be able to determine the fee to be paid in cryptocurrency (BTC or $USDT). Only then will your vessel be able to transit the strait unimpeded at the pre-agreed time." Marisks has unequivocally stated that these messages are scams, and Iranian authorities have yet to comment on the matter.