Fraudulent Cryptocurrency Scams Target Shipping Companies with Fake Strait of Hormuz Safe Passage Offers

Fraudulent messages promising safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency have been sent to some shipping companies, according to a warning issued by a Greek maritime risk firm. The scam exploits Iran’s recently announced policy requiring oil tankers to pay transit fees in digital assets during a two-week ceasefire period.

Maritime risk firm MARISKS reported that unidentified actors have been contacting shipping companies whose vessels are stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, posing as Iranian authorities and demanding payment in Bitcoin (BTC) or Tether (USDT) for supposed “safe-passage” clearance. The messages mimic official bureaucratic language, referencing Iranian Security Services checks and pre-agreed transit windows to appear legitimate.

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, as cited in Reuters

The scam draws credibility from a real policy announcement by Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union, who told the Financial Times that vessels must submit cargo details via email to Iranian authorities before being issued a toll fee payable in Bitcoin. Fraudsters are using this legitimate framework to deceive shipping firms.

MARISKS emphasized that while Iran’s crypto toll scheme is genuine under the ceasefire agreement, the specific messages being circulated are fraudulent. The firm warned that at least one vessel that had paid the scammers was later fired upon on Saturday, suggesting a potential link between the payments and subsequent attacks, though no definitive causal relationship was established in the reporting.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with approximately 20% of the world’s oil passing through the waterway prior to the current regional conflict. The ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran have disrupted normal shipping patterns, leaving many vessels stranded and vulnerable to exploitation.

Maritime security experts continue to monitor the situation, advising shipping companies to verify all requests for transit fees through official channels and to remain vigilant against social engineering attempts that exploit real regulatory developments for fraudulent purposes.