We have seen thousands of boxes of Cuban cigars on online auction sites over the years and over 95% of the boxes are absolutely blatant counterfeits. It led us to believe that many people did not have the information necessary to identify counterfeits, which once you have is quite easy. The purpose of this site is to provide people with that information and to them from getting ripped off.

We are not updating this site as often due to the decreased number of counterfeit boxes (our big-headed egos think we have something to do with that), but we occasionally highlight a few bogus auctions. You can take a look at our Counterfeit Archives to look at past bogus auctions and to help you understand how to identify counterfeits..

Here is some basic information you should have before making any purchase online for Cuban cigars.

1. First, and foremost, is to get educated on the cigars that you are buying. Our Habanos Education section will help you learn about the placement of seals, identifying marks, factory codes, and anti-counterfeit measure built into the seals.
2. Part of that education is becoming familiar with the price of Cuban cigars. The demand for Cuban cigars is such that they DO NOT discount cigars, demand FAR exceeds supply. If a box of Cuban cigars sells for $400USD in an authorized location in Cuba, don't expect to pay less than the price in Cuba, it does not happen. Here is an example, a guy buys a box of counterfeit Cohiba Esplendidos on the streets for $40USD, he then sells them on eBay for $200USD less than half the price in Cuba and still makes 400% PROFIT!!! Now that is some kind of business.
3. Many of the auctions that you see will have a description something along these lines, "I got these cigars while on vacation in Cuba for a friend and I found out he does not smoke cigars" or, "I got these cigars from a friend/family member who works at the factory and were smuggled out/part of his daily allotment". If you ever go to Cuba you will find out that EVERYONE sells cigars. You will be approached no less than 50 times a day with someone asking if you want to buy real cigars and that they have a relative/friend that works in the factory. These people are called "jinteros" and this is there job, as well as, finding you anything else you make want, place to sleep, rum, paladars (private restaurants), etc. where they make a commission on anything you buy. Hey, I don't knock it, that's how they have to make a living. THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THESE CIGARS AND THEN TRY TO SELL THEM ONLINE TO FINANCE THEIR VACATIONS.
4. So, what is wrong with these cigars? Their Cuban cigars rolled in Cuba with Cuban tobacco. True. Or at least part of it. The problem is the availability of tobacco, which just like everything else in Cuba, is on short supply. Even when the counterfeits get tobacco it is not going to be quality tobacco, nor will they really care about what kind of tobacco they use for the filler/binder/wrapper, so the last thing they are worried about it having it match flavorwise the cigar it is purported to be. there have been instances where we have found anything but tobacco used to make these counterfeits.
5. Pictures of the actual box up for auction. We are not talking about the blurred pictures that have more background showing than the cigar box. No, we are talking about CLEAR, CLOSE-UP shots of the important elements of the box, namely, the green warranty seal showing the red serial number (90% of the picture should be only that) and a picture of the entire back of the box. We get a lot of excuses from sellers that their camera broke, or that they don't have one, or that they'll send it to us but never do. Bottom line, if there are NO picture or if the sellers does not want to send you the pictures you requested, don't bid on them. I can guarantee they are fakes.
6. One other thing we would like to mention is shilling. Shilling is when a seller will create additional accounts to bid on their own auction to create activity and to drive up the price. We check out various id's that we suspect are used as shilling accounts, more times than not they do not have zero feedback, and check what auctions they have bid on in the past 30 days.
7. Last, what do you do if you have a bid on an auction which you found out might be a counterfeit box of Cuban cigars? You can easily retract your bid through the BID HISTORY option and select any one of the 'canned' reasons.
   

Let us know if you have any questions: habanos_r_us@yahoo.com