Fraudsters impersonating Iranian authorities are demanding cryptocurrency payments from shipping companies whose vessels are trapped in the Persian Gulf, offering fake “clearance” to transit the Strait of Hormuz — a scam that Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS warned may have already led to at least one ship being fired upon.
The alert, reported by Reuters on April 21, describes messages sent to shipping companies from unknown actors claiming to represent Iranian security services. The messages demand that shipowners submit documentation and pay a fee in Bitcoin (BTC) or Tether (USDT) before being granted safe passage through the strait at a pre-arranged time.
“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 transit the strait unimpeded at the pre-agreed time,” the message read, according to the text cited by MARISKS.
MARISKS was unequivocal, “These specific messages are a scam.” The firm confirmed the messages were not sent by Iranian authorities. Tehran has not publicly commented.
A ship was fired upon
What elevates this from a routine fraud warning to a serious security concern is MARISKS’ assessment that the scam may have already had lethal consequences.
On April 18, when Iran briefly opened the strait subject to checks, several ships attempted to pass through. At least two vessels — including a tanker — reported that Iranian boats fired shots at them, forcing them to turn around. MARISKS said it believes at least one of those vessels may have been following instructions from the fraudulent messages — meaning a ship that paid scammers in crypto for “clearance” attempted to transit without actual Iranian authorisation and was fired upon.
Why crypto is the payment of choice
The scammers’ demand for BTC or USDT is not incidental — it mirrors the actual payment infrastructure that Iran has been building at Hormuz.
Since mid-March 2026, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been charging tankers $1 per barrel of crude in cryptocurrency and Chinese yuan for transit through the strait. Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union confirmed the fee structure. The Iranian parliament formally codified the system as the “Strait of Hormuz Management Plan” on March 30. According to TRM Labs, the IRGC has charged ships up to $2 million each, with estimated revenue of $600–800 million per month.
The fact that Iran’s actual toll system uses crypto makes the scam more convincing — and more dangerous. Shipping companies already know that crypto payments are part of the real transit process. A fraudulent message demanding BTC or USDT doesn’t look out of place against that backdrop. It fits seamlessly into an environment where the line between state-imposed tolls and criminal extortion has become uncomfortably thin.
Hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers stranded
The scam exploits a desperate situation. Hundreds of ships and approximately 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf. The U.S. has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then re-imposed its blockade of the strait — through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the conflict escalated.
Iran briefly reopened the strait on April 17 for commercial vessels during the ceasefire period, triggering a broad rally across crypto markets. But the reopening has been partial and unpredictable — ships have been fired upon, passage remains limited to roughly 12 vessels per day, and the toll system adds a layer of cost and compliance that many operators have not previously encountered.
For shipping companies with vessels anchored for weeks amid missiles and drones, a message offering a clear path out — for a crypto fee — is designed to exploit exactly that level of desperation.
What shipowners should know
MARISKS and multiple maritime security firms have issued advisories urging shipowners to verify any transit instructions through official channels before making payments. No legitimate passage arrangement through the Strait of Hormuz is conducted via unsolicited messages demanding cryptocurrency.
The real toll system, while itself controversial, operates through a documented process: ship operators contact an IRGC-linked intermediary, submit cargo manifests and crew data, receive approval through a screening process, and then pay via crypto or yuan before receiving a VHF-broadcast passcode and naval escort.
Any message that bypasses this structure — particularly one that arrives unsolicited and demands direct crypto payment for immediate clearance — should be treated as fraudulent.
Also Read: Indian Authorities Uncover ₹6.82 Crore Crypto Scam in Yamunanagar
