Scammers Pose as Iran Officials, Demand Crypto for Hormuz

Greek maritime risk firm MARISKS warned on Monday that unknown actors are contacting shipowners and operators with false offers of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments.

The messages instruct recipients to submit vessel documents for review and say Iranian security services will set a fee payable in Bitcoin (BTC) or Tether (USDT). MARISKS published the text of one message: “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 reported that the messages claim to come from Iranian authorities but are not authentic. The firm estimates the scam targets operators whose vessels are delayed or detained west of the strait. MARISKS believes one ship that tried to leave the strait on Saturday and later came under gunfire may have been targeted after engaging with the fraudsters; the firm said that claim could not be independently verified.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been irregular. At least 20 vessels crossed the strait on one Saturday, including oil tankers, dry-bulk carriers and container ships, and one tanker, the FPMC C Lord, moved through carrying about 2 million barrels of crude bound for Taiwan. By the following day, traffic had slowed sharply and oil prices rose roughly 6 percent. On Monday, seven ships were reported to have used the route.

Security incidents in the Gulf have increased over the same period. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on a tanker and that an unknown projectile struck a container ship. Those vessels were reported to be Indian-flagged, and India expressed deep concern after two Indian-flagged ships were attacked. Separately, U.S. naval forces fired on an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman and U.S. Marines boarded and took control of the vessel; U.S. officials said the ship attempted to breach a naval blockade.

The regional disruptions coincide with ongoing diplomatic and sanctions developments. U.S. restrictions on Iranian ports remain in place. Iran has at times imposed and lifted restrictions on passage through the strait and has proposed charging fees for secure transit. Washington renewed a one-month waiver on Russian oil at sea while a one-month waiver allowing Iranian crude exports expired. India added three more Russian insurers for marine cover, increasing the number of recognized Russian firms for marine insurance to 11; those firms operate outside the main international protection and indemnity clubs commonly used by tanker operators.

MARISKS urged operators to treat unsolicited demands for cryptocurrency payments with caution, verify contacts through established channels and report suspicious communications to maritime authorities and insurers. The firm noted that fraudsters commonly exploit periods of congestion and uncertainty when owners face pressure to move cargo and may be more likely to respond to unusual payment requests.