what % of members have been scammed at some time in their cigar hobby.

[El Presidente]

A new member recently got pinched on a box of discontinued cigars out of Costa Rica. Note to all newcomers to Cuban cigars......don't buy online out of  central and south america. 

He is a good bloke and i was trying to console him a little by saying that I believe 5-10% of  FOH members have been scammed at some point. 

Would I be right? 

[Shelby07]

I replied yes, but the truth is I have no idea. I found this site after I started smoking Cuban cigars and admit I had no idea what I was doing. Since I smoked everything pretty much as soon as I got it, I had nothing to analyze. But I’m gonna say 99% probably yes. 

[OZCUBAN]

Only by the government/nanny state enablers ??

[MD Puffer]

I wish "I don't know" was an answer option.
Reason being, is that I have total confidence re: all purchases from all vendors except for my very first box.

It was a box of Punch Punch, the year was 1999 or 2000 and I was fresh out of the Army and just getting into cigars.  I purchased them online from a Canadian vendor (and I think they were a legitimate vendor) but the cigars were really harsh/overpowering.  

However, I didn't know of anything about aging cigars back then.  I remember having the hardest time regulating the humidity in my humidor and I think it was averaging 55% RH.  And since joining FOH I've learned that Punch Punch from those years weren't the best.

On the other hand, I wasn't educated re: looking for anti-counterfeit features and what an authentic box should look like.  And more importantly, I've come to learn that since the non-Cuban Punch is sold in Canada that the Cuban Version cannot be sold there (though that doesn't rule out a grey market sale).

So, maybe it was legit and maybe it wasn't, but that's the only one I have any doubt about.  I have spotted obvious fakes and avoided them, but that first box remains a question mark in my mind to this day.

[Habana Mike]

I'd wager it might be closer to 5-10% that hadn't been. And if the 5-10% won't admit it or don't know, surely most have.

Anyone that's bought a Cohiba on a beach somewhere, self included, be honest.

[gweilgi]

Had some Montecristos bought in Spain which were dodgier than a second-hand car salesman's special deal of the month.

Bought a couple tubes of RyJ #2 which turned out to be #3s with a bit of tissue paper stuffed in the bottom of the tubes ...

On one occasion, I purchased a box of Partagas SD4 which were absolutely riddled with beetle holes -- the vendor having assured me that he had personally inspected the box.

[smokum]

Never. All I own came from here

[shlomo]

ABSOLUTELY. 

 

[avaldes]

Yep, first box of "HoyoDC" from some online vendor back in 96 or 97. Amazingly they refunded my money. Made me REALLY careful from then on. But once I established good vendors with references from friends, it has been smooth sailing.

[Bri Fi]

I was once scammed by Habanos S.A. I purchased a box of Hoyo De Monterrey anejados. They tasted like dog $h1T rolled with banana leaves. They were 100% legit but what a scam of a program. I guess I haven’t really been scammed yet so I’ll go ahead and vote No. 

[Notsocleaver]

Does falling for 'These cubans rolled in 2000 are perfectly constructed' count?

[rckymtn22]

Luck for me I found this forum early in my cuban cigar journey so I don't think I have as most of my cigars are from here or picked up in Cuba at the proper places.

[Islandboy]

Nope. I never jump right into anything until l’ve done a fair bit of homework, and luckily I have a good BS meter that keeps me from listening to the wrong people.

[Dozerhead]

Judging from the results of this poll, I think there are some people in denial. ?

[ender.lmm]

Scammed? Probably.

Knowingly purchasing some suspect cigars, yes.

My daughter once gifted me a box of CoRo some Cubans were selling in an arts festival in Mexico a few years back. I did try them, but I was sure they were fakes.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[JGD]

Bought some fakes in Mexico before I really got into cigars. They looked somewhat off to me so googled, only to learn that they were absolutely fake. At the end of the day I was only out $50 so it wasn’t that bad. 

I almost dropped some serious money back in 2010/2011(?) when there was someone selling very good high end fakes on another forum. Luckily for me it all came crashing down the day before I was going to place the order. Unfortunately for others, the guy must have made close to $50k, if not much more, by scamming people on the board. Never trust the dancing banana emoji....

[gweilgi]

3 hours ago, Habana Mike said:

I'd wager it might be closer to 5-10% that hadn't been.

Anyone that's bought a Cohiba on a beach somewhere, self included, be honest.

I have bought "genuine" Cohibas and other Cubans on the beach, on a street corner and in a bar ... but I was never scammed.  I always assumed that they were all fake ...

[Lotusguy]

Yup. Got some fake “Grand Edmundos” from 1001cubancigars or whatever the dealer was - they were going to refund me but then the Chicago massacre hit and they went under.

[El Presidente]

15 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

Yup. Got some fake “Grand Edmundos” from 1001cubancigars or whatever the dealer was - they were going to refund me but then the Chicago massacre hit and they went under.

ahhh.....the Guatemala connection strikes again 

I am stunned that over 40% of members have been fleeced. I honestly guessed it would have been no more than 10%

[Lotusguy]

ahhh.....the Guatemala connection strikes again 
I am stunned that over 40% of members have been fleeced. I honestly guessed it would have been no more than 10%

I’d say almost everyone that bought on Facebook, especially “blind samplers” or singles or custom rolls or Behikes has been had. Some real bad apples there that deal/dealt in high volume.

[shippers]

I brought some fake Cohibas in Mexico before I really knew anything about cigars. In the hotel gift shop no less!

[Bucky McSwensen]

Bought fakes once in mexico at a non lcdh shop (some real some fake) ?

Ordered aged stock from a grey market vendor that were not aged well (super dried out due to bad storage) ?

Ordered way too many boxes from FOH and now I have a storage issue (my fault not theirs) ?

[madandana]

Probably bought some fakes in Mexico many years ago but other than that I buy pretty much everything from Rob so I never have been majorly scammed .

[shlomo]

3 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

Yup. Got some fake “Grand Edmundos” from 1001cubancigars or whatever the dealer was - they were going to refund me but then the Chicago massacre hit and they went under.

I bought a fair bit from them, never a problem except some mold here and there. Never bought any Cohiba or ELS however. I remember those fake GEs and the scumbags trying to resell...at a profit no less!!

[Stump89]

Luckily I have not. I researched vendors and sources for months before buying my first cubans. Do your homework. 

I have definitely been given fakes many times as gifts. And have been convinced/guilted into smoking a couple before I knew what could actually be in those things, bleh. Should have done my homework there lol!