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ARE
YOUR CUBANS FAKE??? |
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.
-
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 |
Added:
September 16, 2003 |
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FEATURED COUNTERFEIT SELLERS: |
Auction |
Sellers |
What's
wrong |
Item
# 3242922931
- COHIBA ESPLENDIDOS CUBAN CIGARS BOX OF 25
|
lovefunstuff
|
Here
is a box of Cohiba Esplendidos that the seller states
was a gift from a friend who visited Cuba. Unfortunately
this is an obvious fake. |
Item
# 3242958991
- 25 Cohiba Esplendidos cigars |
jon_2002uk
|
This
is something that we always have problems with - people
who post pictures of a box other than the one that they
are selling. We have requested that the seller provide
us with additional pictures of the actual box up for
auction. Who cares if the paper is still on the box?
The pictures that everyone needs to make a determination
on the authenticity of this box requires that the seller
remove this paper. Let's see if he complies.
|
Item
# 3242966973
- Box of 25 Cohiba Esplendidos Cuban Cigars NR
|
sellitnow30
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Another
bogus box out of England. No doubt this person is trying
to finance his vacation to the island by selling a $40USD
box that he bought on the streets for $200USD+
As
we have seen in the past, this box has the green warranty
seal and Habanos seal applied incorrectly. The seller
has provided the red serial number "AC-12807",
however, we can see by the factory code that this box
was produced sometime during January to April of 1999,
BUT the new warranty seals were not implemented until
November of 1999. In other words, there is no way you
will see this factory code have the new warranty seal.
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Added:
September 11, 2003 |
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FEATURED COUNTERFEIT SELLERS: |
Auction |
Sellers |
What's
wrong |
Item
# 3242133994
- montecristo No4 25 cigars- sealed |
lear51
|
Man,
I don't know where this guy buys his Cubans at but of
all the Montecristo No.4's that I've bought in the past
mine have never come wrapped in celophane. Seriously,
you will not find any box of Cuban cigars wrapped in
celophane. Also, Montecristo No.4's ALWAYS have the
green warranty seal located on the bottom left side
with the crease of the lid passing through the middle
of the Cuban shield and the Habanos seal located on
the upper right.
Seller
includes, "these were purchased from our honeymoon
1 month ago", no doubt he is trying to finance
his honeymoon with these cigars that he probably paid
$10USD for. |
Item
# 3241289761
- Cohiba Esplendidos Cigar Cigars Box SEALED!!! |
papalote26
|
We
have requested and received additional pictures of this
sellers box and they indicate that they are blatant
counterfeits.
As
comes of no surprise this person is from Miami, Florida.
Over the past 5 years that we been watching Cubans being
sold at online auction sites we have YET to see a single
auction for an authentic box of Cuban cigars come out
of Florida. THE STREAK CONTINUES!!!
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Rant
& Rave Archive |
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-
Return
to the Days of Old - While the debate rages on regarding
the quality of Cuban cigars released in 1999 through 2000, the
2001 vintage will no doubt be mentioned as one of the best years
ever to be released from Cuba. <<
more >>
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