{"id":2613,"date":"2026-04-23T21:52:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T21:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/?p=2613"},"modified":"2026-04-23T21:52:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T21:52:31","slug":"crypto-payments-promised-for-safe-passage-through-the-strait-of-hormuz-identified-as-a-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/23\/crypto-payments-promised-for-safe-passage-through-the-strait-of-hormuz-identified-as-a-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Crypto Payments Promised for Safe Passage Through the Strait of Hormuz Identified as a Scam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A new fraud scheme has emerged in which scammers claim to offer ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are reportedly impersonating Iranian officials and sending encrypted messages that request Bitcoin or USDT transfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fraudulent Messages Target Stranded Vessels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greek maritime risk management firm MARISKS has alerted shipping companies about suspicious messages aimed at vessels stuck west of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the firm, these messages demand cryptocurrency payments in return for transit clearance. MARISKS confirmed that the messages are fake and not connected to Iranian authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example message claims that after reviewing submitted documents, a fee in Bitcoin or USDT would be determined before allowing the vessel to pass at an agreed time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising Tensions Disrupt Maritime Traffic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing tensions in the region have significantly affected shipping activity. The United States continues to enforce restrictions on Iranian ports, while Iran has repeatedly closed and reopened the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a critical route for global energy trade, disruptions in this area have left hundreds of ships stranded along with roughly twenty thousand seafarers. Security concerns, unclear transit regulations, and fears of confrontation have made navigation through the strait increasingly difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 18, Iranian authorities briefly permitted some vessels to pass following inspections, but the situation remained unstable. Several ships attempting to cross reported hostile encounters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least two vessels, including a tanker, said they were fired upon by Iranian boats and were forced to retreat. MARISKS also noted that one ship connected to a recent incident may have received scam messages requesting cryptocurrency before being granted clearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use of Crypto Payments Raises Sanctions Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier reports suggested that Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been charging ships fees for safe transit through the strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shipping companies are reportedly required to coordinate with intermediaries linked to the group before passing. They must submit detailed information about the vessel, including ownership, flag, cargo, destination, and crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this process, a transit fee is negotiated, starting at about one dollar per barrel of oil, and is paid using yuan or stablecoins. In return, ships receive a permit code and escorted passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional reporting from the Financial Times cited Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran\u2019s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union, who said tankers must send cargo details to Iranian authorities. A transit fee is then assigned and must be paid using digital currencies such as Bitcoin. He noted that payments need to be completed quickly to reduce the risk of sanctions exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scam Exploits an Already Volatile Situation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fraudulent scheme takes advantage of the uncertainty and tension surrounding one of the world\u2019s most important shipping routes. By posing as officials and demanding cryptocurrency, scammers are attempting to exploit ship operators already dealing with heightened risks and limited options for safe passage.#crypto#cryptonews https:\/\/coinsignals.net<\/a> https:\/\/t.me\/coinsignalpublic<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new fraud scheme has emerged in which scammers claim to offer ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency payments. They...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2615,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613\/revisions\/2615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.coinsignals.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}