Fraudulent actors are reportedly demanding cryptocurrency payments from shipping companies whose vessels remain stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, promising safe passage through the waterway in exchange for bitcoin or USDT.
Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS issued the warning on Monday, stating that unknown parties impersonating Iranian authorities had targeted some shipping firms with the scheme, Reuters reported.
The warnings come as the shipping corridor remains caught between competing restrictions. The U.S has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports that began about a week ago, while Iran had lifted and then reimposed its own closure of the strait. The passage handled roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the current Middle East conflict disrupted traffic.
In one message flagged by MARISKS, the sender told shipping companies they would need to submit documentation for review by Iranian security services before a transit fee would be determined in cryptocurrency. It added that payment would allow the vessel to cross the strait “unimpeded at the pre-agreed time,” according to the report.
MARISKS said at least one vessel that tried to exit the strait on April 18 that was hit by gunfire from Iranian boats may have been a victim of the fraud.
The fraudulent scheme follows Iran's proposal to impose tolls on vessels for safe transit through the strait amid ceasefire talks. The Financial Times reported on April 8 that Tehran is seeking up to $2 million per tanker in fees, with payments allowed in cryptocurrency, including bitcoin. Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union, told the FT the toll is set at about $1 per barrel of oil.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will not lift its blockade on Iranian ports until a deal is reached with Iran, according to a BBC report. The temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire is set to end on April 23, with no certainty on whether a second round of peace talks will proceed in Pakistan.
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