Proper Fauxiba Etiquette

[hudsonvalley]

Because I have a service business where I make frequent stops I use my love of cigars to make friends and say thanks to customers. I hand out a lot of cigars and have a lot of discussions with cigar smokers. Lots of them are either just learning about cigars or not wanting to spend much time on the hobby to really know them. That's just fine. In comparison ton some here exactly the same could be said of me.

What I am wondering about is this: from time to time someone will gift me back a fauxiba. This has happened a couple times in just the last couple months. I usually just thank them.

What would/do you do?

I expect that, the same as me, you would approach this on a case by case basis but it is hard to bite my lip and not edjumakate them. I hate to see money go to crooks and associates ripped off.

 

[NullSmurf]

Are you referring to fake Cubans (Cohiba Cubans)?

 

[ricmac25]

What would/do you do?

I expect that, the same as me, you would approach this on a case by case basis but it is hard to bite my lip and not edjumakate them. I hate to see money go to crooks and associates ripped off.

I think you're on the right track already. I would think it would depend on who the person is. If someone I consider friend gave me a Fake Cuban I would tell them, so that they don't get ripped off later. If it's just an acquaintance, then no, I'd probably just say thank you. Obviously how you tell them is also important.

 

[smitty0255]

Yeah - that's touchy with someone who is just an acquaintance or a client. You have to worry about offending them and losing their business. For me, it would have to be a good friend to say something.

 

[Ginseng]

Use your instincts, Tom. On one end of the spectrum, you have friends and colleagues in whom you have a personal stake. I'd 1) show gratitude for their gesture in the spirit in which the generosity was intended and 2) gently, probe them for what they might know and more importantly what they might or might not want to know.

On the other end are clients in whom you have a professional stake. Again, use judgment here and consider the nature of your relationship with them.

And at the third end of the spectrum , are those folks that it probably would not matter much to in any case. Thanks are all they are looking for, I'd imagine.

Wilkey

 

[puffstuff]

I also have that same problem. My customers like to bring me ISOM'S especially around Christmas time. I usually just say thank you. One time I just couldn't help myself. A very good customer came in with a box of Trinidad. The box was legit, now the cigars were quite another story. Very obviously a bundled cigar and a very cheap one at that, so I explained that his cigar had two caps, it was a badly rolled piece of junk and was obviously rebanded. So I pulled off the very loose band and showed him where it had been reglued, etc., etc. Needless to say, he was very upset ( he told me that he paid $700.00 for these) I haven't seen him since. Now, I just smile and say Thank You!

 

[half full monty]

Hey Tom-

I would agree with the above on the casual aquaintance, I would politely accept, thank them and move on.

I've had two specific experiences with those not so casual.

One was one of my best friends in town came back from a party in NYC with a CoRo still in the cello.... :laugh: I hung onto it for a while and told him later, in one of the many cigar discussions we have. Ironically, I put together mooch packages for him all the time, and the last one I put together I threw it back to him :laugh:

The other is with a collegue at work, actually the guy works for me on my team. He's gifted me a few smokes (one was a Partagas Salamone) from a buddy of his that owns a shop on the west coast. I suspected they were cubans, but still fakes. I never said a word, it's the thought that counts.

However, on his last trip out there, he got a five pack of Cohiba's that were obvious fakes from the packaging, labels, caps and taste. These were so bad, I told him right away. Don't want him to waste his $$ again.

 

[Mrepp]

Personally I would go by the person’s personality. It seems that people appreciate when others help them to avoid getting ripped off. If one points something obvious out to them that don’t necessarily get angry or all that upset at you, they tend to get embarrassed. Which I think was the case with puffstuff. I would say if they had a strong personality they would probably be fine being told it wasn’t legitimate. If they where softer spoken ect. well I would let things be. I would take it case by case and if you even spot an obvious flaw you can always tip toe around it and let the curiosity in them discover the truth.

Just my opinion.

 

[symyn]

Happened to me about a month ago. I did some work on one of my customers son's personal computer and he said he would repay me with some nice cigars when he went on his cruise. I was gifted a couple RyJ's No. 2 (could have been legit but I wasn't sure) and a ridiculously fake Cohiba. The Cohiba had a mustard yellow band, with faded white dots and to top all that off it was in a plastic tube. I acepted them gratefully, and told him about an article I read about how prominent fake cigars were in and around Mexico. We had a conversation about this article and I even sent him an email with a link as it was a pretty good conversation. I never called him out, but I just wanted him to be aware for the next time that he should be a bit more careful spending his money while abroad.