“These messages are a scam,” MARISKS warned, advising shipowners to be cautious of unknown actors falsely claiming to represent Iranian authorities.
ATHENS: Fraudulent messages offering safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency have been sent to some shipping companies whose vessels are stranded west of the waterway, Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS has warned.
The United States has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has alternately lifted and reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz—a critical shipping route that previously handled around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas before the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
Amid ongoing ceasefire talks, Tehran—which controls the strategic chokepoint—has reportedly proposed tolls on vessels seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
On Monday, security firm MARISKS issued an alert warning shipowners that unknown individuals, claiming to represent Iranian authorities, had been sending shipping companies messages demanding transit fees in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Tether in exchange for “clearance.”
“These specific messages are a scam,” the firm said, stressing that they were not issued by Iranian authorities. Tehran did not immediately comment on the matter.
According to MARISKS, the fraudulent messages suggest that after submitting documents and passing review by so-called Iranian security services, vessels would be required to pay a fee in cryptocurrency before being allowed to transit the strait at an agreed time.
The firm warned shipowners to exercise caution, noting that at least one vessel targeted in such circumstances was later hit by gunfire while attempting to exit the strait, although Reuters has not independently verified the claim.
The developments come as hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf amid heightened tensions and disrupted maritime traffic through the waterway.
