Scammers posing as Iranian authorities are demanding crypto payments from ships.
Greek maritime risk management company MARISKS has warned shipping companies about a new extortion scheme.
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Unknown individuals posing as Iranian authorities demand payment in bitcoin (BTC) or USDT stablecoin for supposedly safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
How the Scam Works
In messages received by several shipping firms, scammers first offered to submit documents for verification by Iranian security services. After that, they would determine a fee to be paid in cryptocurrency.
Only after payment could the vessel cross the strait “unhindered at a pre-agreed time.” MARISKS emphasized that these messages are not connected to official Iranian sources.
At least one vessel may have fallen victim to the scheme. According to MARISKS, on April 18, a ship attempting to exit the strait came under fire. Currently, several hundred vessels and approximately 20,000 sailors remain trapped in the Persian Gulf.
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Geopolitical Background of the Blockade
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed before the conflict, has remained closed since February 28.
In early April, Iran proposed introducing a fee for safe transit. The proposed amount reached up to $2 million per tanker, or roughly $1 per barrel of oil. A representative of Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union confirmed that payments could be accepted in cryptocurrency, including bitcoin.
Experts previously assessed such plans as nearly unworkable. They cited ongoing Western sanctions against Iran and blockchain transparency, which creates risks for Western-registered companies.
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The strait remains partially blocked, and US-Iran negotiations continue with uncertain results.
What to Expect Next?
The temporary US-Iran ceasefire is set to expire on April 23. The next meeting between the two countries is scheduled for April 22, but uncertainty remains over whether the second round of talks will take place.
Iran has not commented on the scam reports. MARISKS directly called the demands a scam.
The situation in the region remains unstable. The US has stated it will not lift the blockade until an agreement is reached. Iran has previously indicated it may skip the next round of talks if the blockade persists.
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