Digital pirates have found a way to make a bad situation in the Middle East even worse. On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, maritime risk company Marisks warned that scammers are tricking stranded ship captains into paying tolls in Bitcoin (BTC-USD) and USDT (USDT-USD). While at least one ship owner paid the fee hoping for a safe exit, they were met with gunfire instead of an open path.
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Fraudsters Impersonate Iranian Officials to Steal Crypto
The scammers are trading on the fear and confusion of thousands of sailors currently stuck in the Gulf.
Since late February, the Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked due to conflict, leaving roughly 20,000 oil tankers and freighters with nowhere to go. Seizing the opportunity, scammers have started sending fake messages that look like they come from Iranian security services. These messages promise that after a document review, a vessel can pass through the strait unimpeded if they send a crypto payment first.
Marisks stated clearly that these specific messages are a total scam and do not come from any legitimate government source.
One Vessel Targeted by Gunfire After Paying Fake Fee
The warning comes after a terrifying event over the weekend. A ship that likely believed it had pre-cleared its journey after paying the scammers tried to exit the strait on Saturday.
Instead of getting through, the vessel was fired upon by actual Iranian patrol boats and forced to turn around. This shows that the scammers have no real power to provide safety; they are simply taking advantage of a real proposal from Tehran earlier this month to charge official crypto tolls for transit.
Blockade Strands 20,000 Sailors as Global Energy Markets Freeze
The underlying crisis has created a perfect environment for cyber-pirates to target the world’s most vital oil waterway.
The current mess began when the U.S. and Israel initiated a war in the region, leading Iran to shut down the chokepoint that handles 20% of the world’s oil. With hundreds of ships now sitting idle, the pressure to move is immense. In fact, Iran has recently suggested charging up to $2 million per tanker in crypto as a formal toll, which is why the scam messages looked so believable to the victims.
For the time being, every captain in the Gulf should make sure not to send their Bitcoin to anyone promising a shortcut out of the blockade.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin’s price is sitting at $76,738.85.
