ATHENS: Fraudulent messages promising safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency have been sent to some shipping lines whose ships are stranded west of the waterway, Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS has warned.
The United States has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas passed before war broke out in the Middle East.
Amid ceasefire talks, Tehran, which controls the choke point, has proposed tolls on vessels for safe transit.
MARISKS issued an alert on Monday warning shipowners that unknown actors claiming to represent the Iranian authorities had sent some shipping companies a message demanding transit fees in cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin or Tether, for “authorization.”
“These specific messages are a scam,” the firm said, adding that the message was not sent by Iranian authorities.
There was no immediate comment from Tehran.
Hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers are still stranded in the Gulf.
On April 18, when Iran briefly opened the strait under control, ships attempted to pass, but at least two of them, including a tanker, reported that Iranian boats had fired shots at them, forcing the ships to turn around.
MARISKS said it believed at least one of the vessels, which attempted to leave the strait on Saturday and was hit by gunfire, was a victim of the scam.
Reuters was unable to verify the information or trace the companies that had received the 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 pass the strait unhindered at the pre-arranged time,” the announcement quoted by MARISKS said.
