PGSA scam watch

A running list of fraudulent operators impersonating the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. If you have received a suspicious communication, do not respond and do not pay. Cross-check below.

Universal red flags.

Any request for cryptocurrency (USDT, BTC, ETH) — no legitimate state authority demands crypto.
Email domains that resemble but do not match pgsa.ir (e.g. pgsa-authority.com, pgsa.org, pgsa.gov.ir — none of these are official).
"Pre-clearance" forms requesting vessel particulars, IMO number, P&I details, or charterer information up front.
Threats of imminent boarding, seizure, or strike unless payment is made within hours.
Communications outside flag-state, P&I, or charter-party channels.

Reported scam vectors

Updated as cases are reported. Submission channel published in About.

First seen	Vector	Indicators	Status
2026-03-18	Email from spoofed pgsa-authority.com domain	Sender claims to be 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority Compliance Office' Demands USDT (TRC-20) payment to a Tron wallet Threatens vessel boarding within 24h if unpaid PDF attachment 'PGSA-Transit-Permit.pdf' with low-resolution forged seal	Active — multiple shipowner reports
2026-03-22	WhatsApp messages from +98 numbers claiming to be PGSA agents	Solicits IMO number, charterer, ETA up front Claims to offer 'expedited clearance' for premium fee Switches to Telegram or Signal mid-conversation Wallet address rotates between contacts — known reuse pattern	Active — at least 14 distinct numbers flagged
2026-04-02	Fake portal at pgsa-iran.org soliciting vessel particulars	Domain registered 2026-03-19 via privacy-shielded registrar Form harvests P&I, charterer, master contact details No payment endpoint — credential and intel-harvesting only Hosted on bulletproof infra (rotating IPs)	Active — under investigation

What to do if you've been targeted

Do not pay. Do not respond.
Preserve the original email with full headers, any attachments, and any wallet addresses.
Report to your flag state, your P&I club, and to UKMTO.
If a U.S. nexus exists, report to OFAC and the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov).
Do not engage the sender to "test" their legitimacy — simply asking can put your vessel on a target list.

What about pgsa.ir itself?

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority operating from info@pgsa.ir is, per Iranian state media, the official interface to the IRGC for transit arrangements. The IRGC is a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The U.S. Treasury has indicated it will sanction entities that pay Iran for transit. Whether to interact with pgsa.ir is a question for your flag state, your P&I club, and qualified counsel — not a question for an unverified intermediary.