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A new wave of fraud targeting ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz has surfaced, with fraudsters sending false payment requests to global maritime operators. The scammers demand transit fees in Bitcoin or Tether, exploiting rising tensions and shipping disruptions in the critical waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Fake Iranian clearance offers spread among shipping firms
MARISKS, a Greek maritime risk consultancy that assesses global shipping threats, reported that unknown individuals have contacted ship owners and operators by email and messaging channels. Claiming to represent Iranian authorities, these actors request payment in cryptocurrency for what they call “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz.
In the fraudulent messages, companies are asked to provide vessel documentation for review by an organization described as “Iranian Security Services.” The senders then calculate a transit fee, specifying payment exclusively in either Bitcoin or Tether, and pledge that the vessels will be granted clearance to cross without disruption at a given time if payment is received.
MARISKS emphasized that the communications have no connection to Tehran and should be considered purely deceptive. The firm added that at least one incident may have involved a ship falling victim to the scam, pointing to a recent case where a vessel encountered gunfire while attempting to exit the strait, though direct attribution remains unconfirmed.
The security warning was issued as hundreds of ships remain anchored west of the Strait of Hormuz due to ongoing military activity and restrictions tied to conflict between Iran and the United States. The passage is a strategic bottleneck for energy transport, accounting for approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Nearly 20,000 seafarers have been affected by the disruption.
Bitcoin payments raise legal and financial concerns
Earlier in April, unconfirmed reports indicated that Iran was considering a move requiring shipping companies to settle transit tolls in bitcoin for vessels seeking to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. The reported policy would have involved up-front cryptocurrency payment requests, to be completed within a short timeframe, as a way to bypass traditional international banking systems under sanctions pressure.
However, security analysts caution that such payment demands, whether legitimate or fraudulent, expose companies to legal and regulatory risk. Even if the destination of funds is unclear or not strictly sanctioned, the involvement of Iranian-linked parties could place shipowners under scrutiny from governments enforcing sanctions related to Iran.
With the current environment of heightened military tension and unclear transit rules, shipping companies operating in the region now face an additional threat of cryptocurrency fraud, further complicating navigation efforts and compliance challenges.
MARISKS operates globally in providing risk assessments and intelligence to the maritime sector. The firm is known for working with shipping operators to identify security threats, ranging from piracy to regulatory risks, especially in high-stakes environments such as the Persian Gulf.