Fraudulent actors impersonating Iranian authorities have reportedly contacted shipowners whose vessels remain stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, demanding cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe passage.
Marisks, a maritime risk firm, issued a warning Monday saying unknown groups had messaged ship operators claiming to represent Iranian security services and requesting transit “fees” in Bitcoin (BTC) or USDt (USDT) for clearance through the strait, Reuters reported. Marisks said the messages are a scam and do not originate from Iranian authorities. Tehran has not publicly responded.
The alerts arrive as the strategic waterway remains largely closed after the outbreak of wider regional hostilities. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint, previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports before tensions escalated.
Earlier this month, separate reports said Iran was considering charging ships a tariff payable in Bitcoin — with empty tankers allowed free passage and other vessels potentially charged roughly $1 per barrel of oil.
The scam messages reportedly instruct recipients to submit verification documents, after which a “fee” would be assigned and safe transit allegedly scheduled once crypto payment is received. Marisks cited an example where messages said Iranian security services would assess eligibility and determine payment in BTC or USDT, framing cryptocurrency transfers as a precondition for unimpeded passage.
The firm also suggested that at least one vessel attacked by gunfire while trying to exit the strait may have been targeted after receiving such fraudulent instructions, though that link has not been independently verified. Cointelegraph contacted Marisks for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Chainalysis warned that shipping companies contemplating crypto payments tied to Iranian-controlled waterways could face significant sanctions risk. Kaitlin Martin, a senior intelligence analyst at Chainalysis, told Cointelegraph that payments connected to Iranian-controlled routes might be considered “material support,” potentially breaching U.S. and international sanctions targeting entities including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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