Security firm warns shipping companies: Messages on Strait of Hormuz ‘clearance’ are scam

Shipping companies in the Middle Eastern region are being targeted by digital pirates running a cryptocurrency scam. Scammers are sending messages to vessels promising safe passage in exchange for a "clearance fee" paid in Bitcoin or Tether, claiming to be from Iranian officials but are actually opportunists taking advantage of the geopolitical crisis. This scam is putting thousands of sailors at risk, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz where a blockade has been ongoing.