Fraudulent messages offering “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments have been circulating among shipping companies with vessels currently stranded west of the key waterway, according to a warning issued by Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS.
The alert comes amid heightened instability in the region, where control over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows—has become increasingly contested following recent hostilities in the Middle East. The United States has maintained restrictions affecting Iranian ports, while Iran has intermittently adjusted access conditions to the strait.
MARISKS stated on Monday that unidentified actors, falsely claiming to represent Iranian authorities, have been contacting shipping operators and demanding transit fees in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Tether in exchange for “clearance” through the waterway. The firm described the messages as scams and clarified that they were not issued by official Iranian institutions. Tehran has not yet commented on the matter.
The advisory also noted that hundreds of vessels and an estimated 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf amid ongoing disruptions. Earlier incidents reported on April 18 included claims by vessels attempting to transit the strait that Iranian boats had opened fire, forcing at least two ships, including a tanker, to retreat.
MARISKS further indicated that at least one vessel targeted by gunfire during a recent attempted passage may have also received the fraudulent payment demand. Reuters has not independently verified these claims or the identities of affected shipping companies.
The scam messages reportedly instructed recipients that, following document submission and security assessment, Iranian authorities would determine a cryptocurrency-based fee for transit, after which vessels would be allowed to pass at a pre-arranged time without interference.