How to spot a fake.

[bluue13]

My mother recently went on a trip and came back very excited and proud about finding me some ISOM cigars and "For only $10!"
 
I didn't have the heart to tell her, so I will just enjoy them and tell her they were some of the best cigars I've ever had.
 

 
 
 

 

[kona1000]

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

 

[Brickhouse]

I've run into many a situation where someone has brought me back a "Cuban" cigar from their vacation.
 
I just say thank you very much, I appreciate it, I will enjoy it.
 
Saying anything else is probably rude, and certainly a waste of time.

 

[bluue13]

I've run into many a situation where someone has brought me back a "Cuban" cigar from their vacation.
 
I just say thank you very much, I appreciate it, I will enjoy it.
 
Saying anything else is probably rude, and certainly a waste of time.

 
Exactly.  In this case especially I find that its the thought that counts.  A family member knows enough that a Cuban cigar would be really cool to give to you and they make the effort to do so.  Good enough for me.  

 

[The Black Cloud]

Not authentic Cubans, but think of them as authentic Coobans.

 

[jsm11]

Curious where the trip was to?
 
And agreed with the sentiments here... smoke them or not and relay to her that they were awesome... :thumbs:  :laugh:
 
As a reference for the future...
 
 

 

[Devil Doc]

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

There was a time around here when a big to-do would have been made about this issue. The passing of fakes only serves to make us look like idiots. You should have said something sooner.
 
Doc

 

[BlindedByScience]

 

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

There was a time around here when a big to-do would have been made about this issue. The passing of fakes only serves to make us look like idiots. You should have said something sooner.
 
Doc
 

 
....no s#!t.  We're supposed to know better.  Getting a fake from your SS is really, really bad.  Poor form.

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

 
There have been many posts and threads about fakes polluting passes and individual's collections.  A fake pass would be a very, very bad idea.
 
One man's opinion......

 

[looking for knowledge]

Say thanks to your mom, but I wouldn't smoke them. all kinds of filth can get rolled up into those.
 
Just my $0.02. 

 

[oke&coke]

 

 


I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

There was a time around here when a big to-do would have been made about this issue. The passing of fakes only serves to make us look like idiots. You should have said something sooner.
 
Doc
 

 
....no s#!t.  We're supposed to know better.  Getting a fake from your SS is really, really bad.  Poor form.

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

 
There have been many posts and threads about fakes polluting passes and individual's collections.  A fake pass would be a very, very bad idea.
 
One man's opinion......
 


About the only justification is if the member didn't know it was fake.  Personally, if I passed off a fake by mistake I would want to know about it ASAP.  As for the topic at hand, I would just tell people I knew that were going abroad to not purchase any cuban cigars period.

 

[kona1000]

Agreed - just joking about the pass by the way.

 

[BlindedByScience]

About the only justification is if the member didn't know it was fake.  Personally, if I passed off a fake by mistake I would want to know about it ASAP.  As for the topic at hand, I would just tell people I knew that were going abroad to not purchase any cuban cigars period.
 

 
Not to completely thread jack, but as I said, we're supposed to know better.  Trust but verify, know your sources, etc.  And the last thing I'd do would be to gift or trade a stick where I had < ANY > questions about the smoke's authenticity.  There are lots of guys in these forums that know how to tell the difference, the resources are available.  IMHO the SS needs to be notified, not burned at the stake.  But, notified, to be sure.
 
And yes, I tell people traveling abroad that there are more fakes in circulation than the real article, and if they are casual or infrequent smokers, I'd tell them where to go and what they should expect to pay.  Usually I tell them the risk of fakes, even for someone with some experience, is too high and not to bother.  Appreciate the gesture, of course, but please don't waste your money, etc.  Hey, I'd want to know.....

 

[bluue13]

 

About the only justification is if the member didn't know it was fake.  Personally, if I passed off a fake by mistake I would want to know about it ASAP.  As for the topic at hand, I would just tell people I knew that were going abroad to not purchase any cuban cigars period.
 

 
Not to completely thread jack, but as I said, we're supposed to know better.  Trust but verify, know your sources, etc.  And the last thing I'd do would be to gift or trade a stick where I had < ANY > questions about the smoke's authenticity.  There are lots of guys in these forums that know how to tell the difference, the resources are available.  IMHO the SS needs to be notified, not burned at the stake.  But, notified, to be sure.
 
And yes, I tell people traveling abroad that there are more fakes in circulation than the real article, and if they are casual or infrequent smokers, I'd tell them where to go and what they should expect to pay.  Usually I tell them the risk of fakes, even for someone with some experience, is too high and not to bother.  Appreciate the gesture, of course, but please don't waste your money, etc.  Hey, I'd want to know.....
 

 
Agree with all of this.  The whole idea should be if you aren't 100% sure if its authentic or even know enough to tell the difference you shouldn't include it in a pass.
 
And interestingly enough I didn't ask for cigars, she was just trying to surprise me.  In any case, the gesture was appreciated and they will be "enjoyed."  Hell for all I know they may even be decent smokes!  

 

[BlindedByScience]

When people travel, and know you smoke cigars, it's a tremendous gesture and a nice thing for them to bring you some back.  I do believe "thank you" is the right response.  
 
OTOH, If they ask, I do believe that it's the right thing to do, to tell them what's really up with cigars bought at gift stores or hotels or wherever.....most folks have no idea.

 

[Brickhouse]

Yes, the caveat to the "thank you" argument, is that you don't want someone continually wasting their money on fakes because you didn't let them know.
 
For me, it's case by case. 
 
For example: 
 
Scenario 1:  A work friend traveled to Mexico and brought me back 1 "Cohiba".  "Thanks bro, much appreciated, I'll enjoy it."
 
Scenario 2:  A personal friend traveled to Mexico and brought back a full box of "Cohiba" that he got for just a shade over $200 and wanted to share a few with me.  "I appreciate the gesture bro, many thanks.  But I have to tell you that you most likely got taken on a box of fakes.  Let me point out some ways to tell (points out about 6 easily spotted tell tale signs).  I wouldn't discourage you from smoking them, hell, they may make a good yard gar or something.  But I would caution you about giving them out to others as authentic, and certainly caution you about buying any more on future trips.  Again, thanks for the gesture, but I just don't want you to spend your money on something like this again unless you're informed."
 
Both of these scenario's are true stories that happened to me, and how I handled it. 

 

[2K6TBSS]

I had a similar situation a few years back.  My parents went to Mexico and surprised me with a box of the glass top Cohibas.  I thanked them profusely, but also pointed out to them that they were fakes and showed them a few of the "tells".  I did smoke them, as they were pretty good for a yard gar.
 
My thought was I didn't want my parents going back and spending their hard earned money on a box of fakes.  
 
Now if it was a one-time thing (from a friend or coworker) I would have said thanks and probably not said anything about them being fake.

 

[golfgar]

I always tell my friends who want to bring back cigars not to do it.  Saves a lot of nonsense and acca-awkward situations.
 
Putting a faux-hiba in a pass is bad form. 
 

 

I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

There was a time around here when a big to-do would have been made about this issue. The passing of fakes only serves to make us look like idiots. You should have said something sooner.
 
Doc
 

 
Concur with Doc, it was a big to-do and would have been thoroughly investigated.  Sure there are reasons but they soon become excuses.

 

[bluue13]

I always tell my friends who want to bring back cigars not to do it.  Saves a lot of nonsense and acca-awkward situations.
 
Putting a faux-hiba in a pass is bad form. 
 

 


I got one just like that from my secret Santa.

I still have it. Maybe we should start a fake Cuban pass.

There was a time around here when a big to-do would have been made about this issue. The passing of fakes only serves to make us look like idiots. You should have said something sooner.
 
Doc
 

 
Concur with Doc, it was a big to-do and would have been thoroughly investigated.  Sure there are reasons but they soon become excuses.


 
This reference just made my day.

 

[zeemanb]

Topping this to avoid starting a new thread....saw some genuine fake Cohibas last night. I feel bad for the buyer in question because he seems like a really nice guy, a musician who visits Cuba pretty regularly. A mutual friend introduced us at dinner last night because he thought I might be interested in his some of his latest purchases. He breaks out a bag with a few boxes and produces, very carefully and with a bit of flourish, a box of Esplendidos. I'm no Cohiba scholar and generally don't go over my boxes like Sherlock Holmes to get a point of reference for these occasions, but there was enough wrong out of the chute to make a sound judgment...bad wrappers, noticeable space between the cigars, inner box corners not totally flush, etc. No codes on the bottom was the biggie, which I brought up as potential trouble with him and started to get the "my wife is from Cuba, I got these IN Cuba" from him so I just let it go.

I'll see him again at a big "El Floridita" themed party at the restaurant this week, and he's seriously hoping to sell all these cigars, so I'll make another attempt to talk to him if possible. Nice guy, but doesn't seem to know much about cigars in general, much less the minefield of Fauxhibas out there. He did have a carton style box of Siglo V's and carton box of Robustos, but I didn't get a close look at those. No idea if they are as counterfeited as the dress boxes, but these guys and the Cohibas.....man, they're like magic beans for those who just do not know anything about cigars.

Hopefully I can get him on the right track and get some GOOD smokes from his next trip, lol.

 

[investandprosper]

I send all my fakes to @wkoti