Overview
- MARISKS, which issued its alert Monday, said messages offering guaranteed transit for cryptocurrency are fraudulent and not from Iranian authorities.
- The phishing notes ask for vessel documents and promise clearance after payment in Bitcoin or Tether to accounts presented as the Iranian Security Services.
- Following April 18’s brief reopening of the strait, several ships tried to pass, and MARISKS believes at least one vessel later fired upon had been duped by the scam.
- Hundreds of vessels and about 20,000 seafarers remain stuck near the chokepoint as the U.S. maintains a blockade of Iranian ports and Iran has reimposed its own restrictions.
- Earlier reports that Tehran floated transit tolls, possibly payable in crypto, have deepened sanctions and insurance worries for operators, and Reuters said it could not verify who received the fake outreach.