One of life's great mysteries......

[El Presidente]

Fakesters    

Why is it that they can get most things right but putting on a simple  box code appears to be nuclear physics  

 

 

[Hemclas]

I've often wondered why they aren't better at faking by now.  But I guess they're like most criminals - not the brightest crayon in the box.

 

[Juliano88]

On 12/20/2021 at 5:11 PM, Hemclas said:

I've often wondered why they aren't better at faking by now.  But I guess they're like most criminals - not the brightest crayon in the box.

 

Because the people that buy these are tourists in countries where fakes are abundant, and they are not involved in the hobby. And they want to impress their friends back home so they buy a box. I can not recount how many times I had to break the news to someone coming back with a glass top box lol.

[cnov]

My sister in law's ex was an interesting bloke, lovely guy but a bit of a poser. Back from Cuba with a box of Cohibas, from a distance looked like a good quality box and I asked if he got it from an reputable source, he answered yes but as soon as I went in for a closer look he changed story and said he got it from a man off the beach!

Some people just like to pretend for whatever reason.

[Puros Y Vino]

I've always felt the imperfections are part of an "unsigned arrangement" between Habanos and the counterfeiters.  Given the level of education in Cuba, I can't believe counterfeiters aren't able to mimic the legit product more accurately. 

Take a look at the Esplendidos. The fake boxes are 95% accurate.  The Habanos labels and seals are always tucked inside. Never on the box. The box code stamps are always either missing or woefully wrong.

I'd bet the following rule of thumb applies.

You can pass off farmies or banana leaf and floor sweepings to the Gringos outside of any LCDH / Sanctioned tobacco shop if.

• The labels are never affixed to the box. Always tucked inside.
• The box codes are missing or botched.
• The bands have at least 1 very visible error.
• You only sell to tourists away from the LCDH's.  Beaches, streets, public squares, etc.

There's no way that Cuban counterfeiter's don't know what the actual product looks like.  I can understand not getting access to various equipment and materials.  But what you can't recreate, you steal directly from the source.  Isn't there an old Cuban adage?  "Any job that doesn't have something worth stealing is not worth having".    I think the counterfeit market is all about the hustle.  Habanos looks away as long as the product is not a 100% perfect replica and the price charged to the witless buyer isn't anywhere close to Cuban retail.  That way there is reasonable doubt to fall back on.

[Nevrknow]

After seeing all the fake threads I almost want a glass top box. Just because. 😂

[Ford2112]

13 minutes ago, Nevrknow said:

After seeing all the fake threads I almost want a glass top box. Just because. 😂

In the trade forum that would be hilarious

[Shrimpchips]

25 minutes ago, Puros Y Vino said:

I've always felt the imperfections are part of an "unsigned arrangement" between Habanos and the counterfeiters.  Given the level of education in Cuba, I can't believe counterfeiters aren't able to mimic the legit product more accurately. 

Take a look as the Esplendidos. The fake boxes are 95% accurate.  The Habanos labels and seals are always tucked inside. Never on the box. The box code stamps are always either missing or woefully wrong.

I'd bet the following rule of thumb applies.

You can pass off farmies or banana leaf and floor sweepings to the Gringos outside of any LCDH / Sanctioned tobacco shop if.

• The labels are never affixed to the box. Always tucked inside.
• The box codes are missing or botched.
• The bands have at least 1 very visible error.
• You only sell to tourists away from the LCDH's.  Beaches, streets, public squares, etc.

There's no way that Cuban counterfeiter's don't know what the actual product looks like.  I can understand not getting access to various equipment and materials.  But what you can't recreate, you steal directly from the source.  Isn't there an old Cuban adage?  "Any job that doesn't have something worth stealing is not worth having".    I think the counterfeit market is all about the hustle.  Habanos looks away as long as the product is not a 100% perfect replica and the price charged to the witless buyer isn't anywhere close to Cuban retail.  That way they can reasonable doubt to fall back on.

Agree with this sentiment - the level of imperfection suggests that there’s a level of crappyness that has to be apparent so that they’re only fooling Marks who wouldn’t otherwise be customers of legit LCDH product.  Kind of like Nigerian prince scams, counterfeit cigars aren’t meant for people who have common sense or know what they’re looking at - they’re for the witless or cheap/greedy folks.  However the above wouldn’t cover counterfeiters that are operating outside of Cuba. Doubt those Mexican chaps give a heck about HSA, yet they’re consistently producing inferior fakes.  

[Bijan]

2 minutes ago, Shrimpchips said:

Doubt those Mexican chaps give a heck about HSA, yet they’re consistently producing inferior fakes.  

I feel fakes outside of Cuba are even worse because people going to Cuba are more likely to be casually familiar with the packaging and there are LCDH shops all over the place where people can glance at real boxes. So a glass top is less likely to fool people in Cuba, although casual buyers still won't catch invalid box codes, and fake bands, etc.

I feel those misspelled or non existing ELs are an example of that. Though I haven't been to Cuba in a while so maybe same shenanigans are going on there now too. Back when I was there it was mainly counterfeit Cohibas in SLBs being sold.

Oh and I don't know how Cuban customs would react to glass tops or if they care about fakes leaving the country etc.

[nKostyan]

I've always felt the imperfections are part of an "unsigned arrangement" between Habanos and the counterfeiters.  Given the level of education in Cuba, I can't believe counterfeiters aren't able to mimic the legit product more accurately. 
Take a look at the Esplendidos. The fake boxes are 95% accurate.  The Habanos labels and seals are always tucked inside. Never on the box. The box code stamps are always either missing or woefully wrong.
I'd bet the following rule of thumb applies.
You can pass off farmies or banana leaf and floor sweepings to the Gringos outside of any LCDH / Sanctioned tobacco shop if.

• The labels are never affixed to the box. Always tucked inside.
• The box codes are missing or botched.
• The bands have at least 1 very visible error.
• You only sell to tourists away from the LCDH's.  Beaches, streets, public squares, etc.

There's no way that Cuban counterfeiter's don't know what the actual product looks like.  I can understand not getting access to various equipment and materials.  But what you can't recreate, you steal directly from the source.  Isn't there an old Cuban adage?  "Any job that doesn't have something worth stealing is not worth having".    I think the counterfeit market is all about the hustle.  Habanos looks away as long as the product is not a 100% perfect replica and the price charged to the witless buyer isn't anywhere close to Cuban retail.  That way there is reasonable doubt to fall back on.

Every time it's funny to read that everyone who sells fake stickers inside the box starts telling that these are original cigars. One question makes them shut up, "do you also buy alcohol: a separate bottle, a separate label, a separate excise stamp?"

[Greenhorn2]

On 12/22/2021 at 4:26 PM, Nevrknow said:

After seeing all the fake threads I almost want a glass top box. Just because. 😂

Hey, put your real Cohibas in the glass top box and nobody will want to smoke them. 

[Nevrknow]

38 minutes ago, Greenhorn2 said:

Hey, put your real Cohibas in the glass top box and nobody will want to smoke them. 

Brilliant!!!!

[MossybackR]

1 hour ago, Greenhorn2 said:

Hey, put your real Cohibas in the glass top box and nobody will want to smoke them. 

Spot on.

[Rhinoww]

When returning from DR early in my cigar journey, maybe 15 years ago, I declared that I had bought somE cigars on the beach. Customs guy waived me through. At the time I thought I had pulled a fast one. A few years gives one clarity.