Scammers Demand Crypto from Ships Stranded Near Strait of Hormuz

MARISKS, a Greek maritime risk firm, warned on April 20, 2026 that scammers posing as Iranian authorities are targeting shipping companies stranded near the Strait of Hormuz, demanding Bitcoin or USDT payments for safe passage, with at least one vessel reportedly fired upon after potentially falling victim. The scam exploits a crisis where roughly 20,000 oil tankers and freighters have been stranded since Iran blocked the strait on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel initiated war on Iran. Complicating matters, Iran officially proposed legitimate cryptocurrency tolls on April 9, 2026, with spokesman Hamid Hosseini indicating fees would likely be charged in bitcoin. President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the strait approximately one week before April 21, 2026, and the U.S. seized one Iranian vessel attempting to evade the blockade.

Cryptocurrency Scam Targeting Stranded Ships

• ▪Marisks stated that the fraudulent messages demanding cryptocurrency payments did not come from official Iranian sources.
• ▪Marisks issued its alert about the cryptocurrency scam on Monday, April 20, 2026.
• ▪The fraudulent messages stated that after providing documents and assessment by Iranian Security Services, a fee would be determined to be paid in cryptocurrency BTC or USDT for vessel transit through the strait.
• ▪Marisks believes at least one ship fell victim to the cryptocurrency scam and was fired upon while trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
• ▪Marisks, a Greek maritime risk services company, issued a warning that several shipping companies had received messages from scammers posing as Iranian authorities and asking for bitcoin or USDT.

Blockade and Geopolitical Crisis at Strait of Hormuz

• ▪U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz approximately one week before April 21, 2026.
• ▪Roughly 20,000 oil tankers and other freighters are stranded in the Gulf due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
• ▪The United States seized one Iranian vessel trying to evade the naval blockade operation at the Strait of Hormuz.
• ▪The United States and Israel initiated a war on Iran on February 28, 2026.
• ▪Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, 2026.

Iran's Proposed Legitimate Crypto Toll System

• ▪Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union, stated that the cryptocurrency fees would likely be charged in bitcoin.
• ▪Tehran proposed cryptocurrency tolls on vessels in exchange for safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz on April 9, 2026.
• ▪Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint.
• ▪Iran has not made any comment regarding the cryptocurrency scam warnings as of April 21, 2026.

Perspective of MARISKS

• ▪MARISKS assesses that at least one vessel was fired upon while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz after potentially falling victim to the cryptocurrency scam.
• ▪MARISKS warns that fraudulent messages demanding cryptocurrency payments for Strait of Hormuz transit did not originate from official Iranian sources.

Perspective of Iran

• ▪Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint amid the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

Perspective of Stranded shipping companies

• ▪Shipping companies stranded near the Strait of Hormuz received fraudulent messages claiming Iranian Security Services would assess documents and determine cryptocurrency fees for vessel transit.
• ▪Approximately 20,000 oil tankers and freighters remain stranded in the Gulf due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, 2026.

3 sources