Crypto scammers are exploiting tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, offering “safe passage” in exchange for bitcoin or USDT — and at least one vessel may have fallen for the ruse, maritime risk firm Marisks warned Monday.
Marisks said several shipowners received messages purporting to be from Iranian authorities that demanded cryptocurrency payments to guarantee unimpeded transit. The firm quoted one fraudulent message asking recipients to submit documentation so “the Iranian Security Services” could assess eligibility and set a BTC or USDT fee before allowing passage. Marisks told Reuters it believes at least one ship paid and was reportedly fired upon while attempting to transit the strait over the weekend.
The scam lands amid a broader disruption of shipping in the region. Reuters reports Iran has largely blocked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since Feb. 28 amid heightened military tensions, leaving roughly 20,000 oil tankers and other freighters stranded in the Gulf. Last week, Reuters said a U.S. naval operation instituted a blockade of the strait and seized one Iranian vessel trying to evade it.
Complicating matters further, Tehran publicly floated the idea of charging crypto fees for transit on April 9. Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union, said any official tolls would likely be levied in bitcoin.
Marisks emphasized the messages were fraudulent and not from official Iranian sources; Iran has not responded to requests for comment. CoinDesk’s request for comment from the targeted shipping company was not immediately answered.
What this means for crypto: scammers are leveraging geopolitical instability and the growing public association of digital assets with cross-border payments. Operators in the shipping and energy sectors should treat unsolicited crypto payment demands with extreme skepticism and verify any official requests through confirmed government or agency channels before responding.
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