Thousands of vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz, along with their affiliated shipping companies, are becoming targets for fraudsters, with at least one ship potentially having already fallen victim.
The first warning about this type of scam was issued on April 20 by the Greek maritime risk management company Marisks. The company alerted shipowners that unidentified individuals, claiming to represent Iranian authorities, had sent messages to some shipping companies demanding payment of "clearance" transit fees in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Tether (USDT). The company explicitly stated, "These messages are a scam," clarifying that they did not originate from Iranian authorities.
A report from Iran's Fars News Agency, cited by Xinhua News Agency on the 24th, indicated that the Central Bank of Iran confirmed that transit fees collected from vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz had been accounted for in "cash foreign exchange." This followed earlier media claims that Iran was collecting these fees in cryptocurrency.
Marisks identified that the fraudulent activity occurred during a brief window of opportunity. On April 18, Iranian authorities announced they would allow inspected vessels to pass. While some ships attempted passage, at least two vessels, including a tanker, reported being fired upon by Iranian forces, forcing them to turn back. Marisks suggested that at least one of the vessels that attempted to exit the strait and came under fire may have been a victim of this scam.
The fraudulent message cited by Marisks read: "After you provide the relevant documents and your eligibility is assessed by Iranian security, we will determine the fee payable in cryptocurrency. Only then can your vessel pass through the strait unimpeded at a pre-agreed time." However, this message has not been verified, and the shipping companies that received it could not be traced. So far, Iranian authorities have not commented on the matter.
This may not be the only recent scam incident. According to a report by the Greek newspaper Ekathimerini on April 22, the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Epaminondas was fired upon after reportedly receiving authorization to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities are investigating whether the message granting safe passage was "possibly fraudulent."
Major shipping companies are generally unwilling to risk their assets. Data released by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a maritime security organization under the British Royal Navy, shows that sailors have reported 22 confirmed attacks and 13 reports of suspicious activity, such as unidentified projectiles hitting the water or creating splashes. Some attacks involved missiles or drones, while others involved gunfire allegedly from small boats operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
Since April 13, the U.S. Navy has also begun enforcing a maritime blockade, focusing on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports, further complicating the security situation in the strait. The U.S. Navy has fired upon and seized one cargo ship, boarded and inspected a tanker, and forced more than 20 other vessels to turn back. In retaliation, Iran appears to be firing upon, and possibly seizing, more commercial ships. Amid the ongoing chaos and conflicting information, cryptocurrency scammers have found an opportunity.
Prior to the outbreak of U.S.-Iran tensions, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, hundreds of vessels and around 20,000 sailors remain stranded in the area.