Scam and Gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz
Reports indicate that at least one vessel may have been targeted by Iranian forces while allegedly falling for a scam involving false assurances of safe travel through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for virtual currency. This information surfaced on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
Ships on the western side of the strait received suspicious messages, prompting the Greek maritime risk management firm MARIKS to advise shipping companies to disregard them. The fraudulent communication suggested, “After you submit your documents and the Iranian Security Service assesses your eligibility, you can determine the fee to be paid in cryptocurrencies (BTC or USDT).” It further claimed that only then could a vessel transit the strait at a predetermined time without hindrance.
Currently, the U.S. has enforced a blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran has reinstated its own restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
This blockade has reportedly stranded hundreds of vessels and around 20,000 individuals in the Gulf.
In a twist, Iran is said to be considering imposing tolls on ships for guaranteed safe passage. On Saturday, two ships were reportedly fired upon as they attempted to navigate the strait. MARIKS indicated that one of these ships might have been duped by the cryptocurrency scheme.
British Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed that two gunboats, linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, opened fire on a tanker departing from the Channel, though this report did not specify which vessel it was. Fortunately, the tanker and its crew were unharmed.
According to TankerTrackers.com, an Indian-flagged supertanker was among those forced to retreat after coming under fire from Iranian forces.
The full scope of the alleged fraud remains unclear. MARIKS declared the messages fraudulent and alerted shipowners about the deceitful nature of the communications, emphasizing that these messages did not originate from Iranian authorities. As of now, there has been no response from the Iranian government regarding any inquiries.
The identity of the sender remains a mystery, and it seems the investigation into the origins of these messages is ongoing, with no definitive confirmation on which companies received them.
