Strait of Hormuz · Ars Technica
Crypto scam lures publishes into Strait of Hormuz, falsely promising safe passage
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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.
Key facts
- 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
- There are about 2,000 ships and 20,000 mariners still stranded near the strait
- The first warning of such a crypto scam came from the Greek maritime risk management company MARISKS on April 20
- 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
Summary
The first warning of such a crypto scam came from the Greek maritime risk management company MARISKS on April 20, . 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. 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. That ship may not be alone in falling for a crypto scam while seeking safe passage.