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Ofline
Ship attacked by Iran after possibly falling for safe passage crypto scam.
Oil tankers and gas tankers were affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a global energy crisis stemming from the war in the Middle East. Credit: Getty Images
Crypto scammers are targeting the thousands of ships stranded near the Strait of Hormuz—and at least one ship that faced Iranian gunfire may have been tricked into believing it had paid Iran for safe passage.
The first warning of such a crypto scam came from the Greek maritime risk management company MARISKS on April 20, according to Reuters. The company alerted shipowners that scammers posing as Iranian authorities had sent messages to shipping companies asking for “transit fee” payments in bitcoin or tether.
That may be particularly confusing for shipping companies because of how Iran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital shipping channel and maritime chokepoint that normally allows Persian Gulf countries to provide one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Iranian authorities have demanded cryptocurrency payments from oil tankers to pass through the waterway and required ships to follow a route near Iran’s coastline to undergo inspection.
MARISKS identified one ship as having potentially fallen victim to crypto scams after it attempted to pass through the strait on April 18, although Reuters was unable to confirm that information. The incident supposedly occurred during a brief window when Iran claimed it was allowing ships to undergo inspection to pass through, but the ship in question turned back after Iranian military forces fired upon it. There are about 2,000 ships and 20,000 mariners still stranded near the strait.
That ship may not be alone in falling for a crypto scam while seeking safe passage. On April 22, the Liberia-flagged cargo ship Epaminondas, owned by the Greek company Technomar shipping and operated by the global shipping company MSC, was fired upon after it had reportedly received permission to pass through the strait, and authorities are checking whether the message purporting to grant safe passage “may have been fraudulent,” according to Ekathimerini.
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has effectively halted since earlier this year, when the US and Israeli militaries began launching airstrikes to kill Iran’s leaders and destroy Iranian military forces, nuclear-related facilities, and other infrastructure on February 28. Iran has retaliated by using missiles and drones to strike US military bases and Israel, along with attacking the energy infrastructure and airports of various Gulf countries.
Major shipping companies have been reluctant to risk their assets since Iranian forces have also attacked ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Mariners have reported 22 confirmed attacks and 13 reports of suspicious activity such as impacts or splashes in the water from unknown projectiles, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime security organization sponsored by the UK’s Royal Navy. Some attacks came from missiles or drones, while others involved gunfire from small boats likely operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The security situation in the strait has been further complicated by the US Navy having begun its own blockade on April 13, with a focus on ships exiting or entering Iranian ports. US naval forces have fired upon and seized a cargo ship and boarded an oil tanker while turning back more than two dozen other ships. Iran seems to be retaliating by firing upon and potentially seizing more commercial ships. With the ongoing chaos and confusion, it’s no wonder crypto scammers saw an opportunity.
Oil tankers and gas tankers were affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a global energy crisis stemming from the war in the Middle East. Credit: Getty Images
Crypto scammers are targeting the thousands of ships stranded near the Strait of Hormuz—and at least one ship that faced Iranian gunfire may have been tricked into believing it had paid Iran for safe passage.
The first warning of such a crypto scam came from the Greek maritime risk management company MARISKS on April 20, according to Reuters. The company alerted shipowners that scammers posing as Iranian authorities had sent messages to shipping companies asking for “transit fee” payments in bitcoin or tether.
That may be particularly confusing for shipping companies because of how Iran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital shipping channel and maritime chokepoint that normally allows Persian Gulf countries to provide one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Iranian authorities have demanded cryptocurrency payments from oil tankers to pass through the waterway and required ships to follow a route near Iran’s coastline to undergo inspection.
MARISKS identified one ship as having potentially fallen victim to crypto scams after it attempted to pass through the strait on April 18, although Reuters was unable to confirm that information. The incident supposedly occurred during a brief window when Iran claimed it was allowing ships to undergo inspection to pass through, but the ship in question turned back after Iranian military forces fired upon it. There are about 2,000 ships and 20,000 mariners still stranded near the strait.
That ship may not be alone in falling for a crypto scam while seeking safe passage. On April 22, the Liberia-flagged cargo ship Epaminondas, owned by the Greek company Technomar shipping and operated by the global shipping company MSC, was fired upon after it had reportedly received permission to pass through the strait, and authorities are checking whether the message purporting to grant safe passage “may have been fraudulent,” according to Ekathimerini.
Strait chaos
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has effectively halted since earlier this year, when the US and Israeli militaries began launching airstrikes to kill Iran’s leaders and destroy Iranian military forces, nuclear-related facilities, and other infrastructure on February 28. Iran has retaliated by using missiles and drones to strike US military bases and Israel, along with attacking the energy infrastructure and airports of various Gulf countries.
Major shipping companies have been reluctant to risk their assets since Iranian forces have also attacked ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Mariners have reported 22 confirmed attacks and 13 reports of suspicious activity such as impacts or splashes in the water from unknown projectiles, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime security organization sponsored by the UK’s Royal Navy. Some attacks came from missiles or drones, while others involved gunfire from small boats likely operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The security situation in the strait has been further complicated by the US Navy having begun its own blockade on April 13, with a focus on ships exiting or entering Iranian ports. US naval forces have fired upon and seized a cargo ship and boarded an oil tanker while turning back more than two dozen other ships. Iran seems to be retaliating by firing upon and potentially seizing more commercial ships. With the ongoing chaos and confusion, it’s no wonder crypto scammers saw an opportunity.