Expert: James Yee - 2/1/2008

Question
I purchase  box of Montecristo Robustos from www.CubanHabanosCigars.net
on 1/12/08 and have yet to see them arrive.  I have e-mailed them several
times with no response.  I spoke to them by phone on 1/25/08 and they were
surprise that I had not received them.  They told me they would check with
international shipping and call me back with a tracking number.  I still have
not heard from them.  I have tried several times a day to call them since
1/28/08 and every time I get their answering machine.  I have called at
different hours of the morning and late at night.  I am in the EST USA time
zone.  Is this typical of this company?  Is there anyway to get help or complain
louder?

Answer
Hi Barry,

Unfortunately CubanHabanosCigars.net has developed a reputation of having poor customer service and sending out counterfeit cigars. I have not ordered from them before but I have received many emails from people that have and in most cases, many have received blatantly counterfeit cigars or after contacting the company numerous times inquiring about their suspicious order(s), were threatened with lawsuits if they dispute their credit card charges and attempt to get their money back.  (Just empty threats to scare the buyers.)

Supposedly, the company ships of out Tampa FL (despite claiming to operate overseas) and Florida is a known counterfeit hotspot for fake Cuban cigars.  (Many ex-customers have ordered from them and were surprised that their orders were shipped stateside rather than overseas.)  The company also willingly admits on their website that they do not purchase their cigars from Habanos SA but instead, buys all their cigars from "national retailers" in Cuba.  If they're not buying from Habanos SA, then they are buying from questionable sources... period.

What I suggest is that you immediately contact your credit card company and begin the process of applying to get your money back. Tell your credit card company that you placed an order, have not received the order and then discovered the company is fraudulent. It's pointless to attempt to maintain contact with them because if you do reach them, they'll just continue to give you the run-around and make you wait longer for something that is counterfeit or something that might not even arrive.  The sooner you resolve this, the better.

Hopes this answers your question.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I'll be happy to help.

Regards,
James