Fraudulent crypto messages target shipping firms amid Strait of Hormuz tensions

Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS says several operators with vessels stranded west of strategic waterway received suspicious communications claiming to represent Iranian authorities

LONDON: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 21^st, 2026) Shipping companies have been warned about fake messages demanding cryptocurrency payments in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime security experts.

Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS said several operators with vessels stranded west of the strategic waterway received suspicious communications claiming to represent Iranian authorities.

The messages reportedly asked shipowners to pay transit “clearance fees” in Bitcoin or Tether to secure passage through the narrow shipping route. MARISKS clarified that the claims are fraudulent and not linked to any official Iranian institution.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, has remained highly unstable amid ongoing regional tensions. The United States has maintained restrictions on Iranian ports, while Iran has intermittently adjusted access to the waterway, which carries around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Tehran, which controls the strategic chokepoint, has also floated the idea of imposing transit charges on vessels as ceasefire discussions continue.

In an advisory issued on Monday, MARISKS warned shipowners that unknown actors were exploiting the situation by sending fake instructions requiring cryptocurrency payments for “approval” to pass through the strait.

The firm said the messages were not authentic and appeared to be part of a coordinated scam targeting stranded vessels.

No official response was immediately issued by Iranian authorities regarding the warning.

The alert comes as hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers remain stuck in the Gulf due to heightened maritime risks and disrupted navigation routes.

Earlier in the month, when the strait briefly reopened under inspection conditions, several vessels attempted to pass. However, at least two ships, including a tanker, reported coming under fire from small boats, forcing them to turn back.

MARISKS also suggested that at least one vessel targeted during a recent attempted transit may have received the fraudulent message, although this has not been independently verified.

The reports have not been confirmed by Reuters, and the identities of affected shipping companies remain unknown.

The fake messages reportedly claimed that vessels would only be cleared for passage after submitting documentation and paying cryptocurrency fees following approval by so-called security authorities.