Fake Behikes

[Jolly_WhiteGiant]

I haven't seen any sold here but beware about recent floods of BHK.

In the past few days, every major Facebook group I'm a part of has banned the sale of Behike until further notice, because there have been some VERY good fakes spreading around. You look at the band, you look at the box - it all looks VERY real. If it weren't for the duplicate serial #s showing up, we may have never known they were fake.

The serials were duplicated (they DID come up authentic on Habanos SA) but they did not match the barcode that came with the box and obviously the same serial on more than 1 box is problematic.

Anyway, just a little PSA. BE VERY CAREFUL buying Behike. In fact, you probably just shouldn't buy them unless from an LCDH or someone you know personally.

https://imgur.com/a/qoI7w

[JohnE1000]

Thanks for the heads up. Was the source/sources identified?

[mbflash80]

Waiting to find out the vendor is like waiting to open Capone's vault...lol...that group is going at it hard to protect their boy (and I cant blame them...thats what friends do)...but some obvious questions i'd like to have answered are how much was he paying for the behikes compared to what he was selling them for...because if it was just a case of "hey I bought a bunch of cigars and not sure I will smoke them so I will sell them for a fair price" then I think its plausible that the dude just got had...but if its a case of "wow I can get Behike for 50% off and resell them like mad in these FB groups"...then it really admits to willful blindness best case scenario.  MB

[Jolly_WhiteGiant]

I am sure he got them for $300 and was trying to make a profit.

[tksamtec]

First let me say that I have no dog in this hunt... and I am not friends nor do I know who the seller is.

I have seen boxes that are completely legit, from an LCDH, not scan in the Habanos SA bar code checker.  So, don't let that be the sole determining factor of authenticity.  This has been the case for a couple boxes I have seen that were checked a few months past the date on the box in past years.  These same boxes showed up in the barcode checker a few months down the road, so its entirely possible these will get entered into the system at a later date. BUT, if the serial #s are duplicates, thats a dead ringer (I missed this point the first tiem around).

The only thing that stood out as weird to me was the boxcode sticker with unusual font and blue stamp/ink.  I have seen the white printed sticker inside the black cardboard overbox, but not sure if I have ever seen that sticker with that font or blue ink.

The box/bands look really good, but I didn't check the hologram.  This jsut like most other Cohibas that are questionable needs to be smoked by someone with BHK smoking experience.  There should be no question, even if young, after smoking a stick.

I have seen some horrible fake BHKs, and these, if fake, look incredibly good.  I would be curious to hear how bad they are, after somone smokes one with or without the preconceived notion of them being real or fake.

Another thing--AMO is the El Laguito factory in 2016/17, and I believe most if not all BHKs are rolled at the Cohiba factory.  But, again, with proper research, counterfeiters can easily use this info to their advantage.

[mbflash80]

[quote author=Jolly_WhiteGiant link=topic=43446.msg175713#msg175713 date=1511370234]
I am sure he got them for $300 and was trying to make a profit.
[/quote

I was guessing the vendor might be that top 25 joint that seemed like it had behike way below market rate...but who the hell knows.

[Jolly_WhiteGiant]

[quote author=tksamtec link=topic=43446.msg175715#msg175715 date=1511371190]
First let me say that I have no dog in this hunt... and I am not friends nor do I know who the seller is.

I have seen boxes that are completely legit, from an LCDH, not scan in the Habanos SA bar code checker.  So, don't let that be the sole determining factor of authenticity.  This has been the case for a couple boxes I have seen that were checked a few months past the date on the box in past years.  These same boxes showed up in the barcode checker a few months down the road, so its entirely possible these will get entered into the system at a later date. BUT, if the serial #s are duplicates, thats a dead ringer (I missed this point the first tiem around).

The only thing that stood out as weird to me was the boxcode sticker with unusual font and blue stamp/ink.  I have seen the white printed sticker inside the black cardboard overbox, but not sure if I have ever seen that sticker with that font or blue ink.

The box/bands look really good, but I didn't check the hologram.  This jsut like most other Cohibas that are questionable needs to be smoked by someone with BHK smoking experience.  There should be no question, even if young, after smoking a stick.

I have seen some horrible fake BHKs, and these, if fake, look incredibly good.  I would be curious to hear how bad they are, after somone smokes one with or without the preconceived notion of them being real or fake.

Another thing--AMO is the El Laguito factory in 2016/17, and I believe most if not all BHKs are rolled at the Cohiba factory.  But, again, with proper research, counterfeiters can easily use this info to their advantage.

[/quote]

Also duplicate serial numbers have been found on the following:

•2014 BHK 52 Serial Number 000025631700.

•BHK 52 Singles Serial Number 00002531705.

•2016 BHK 54 Serial Number 000028274530.

•2017 BHK 54 Serial Number 000028274535

[tksamtec]

Its the holiday seaosn too, and thieves come out of the woodwork to part us from our hard earned money.  You can never be careful enough, especially this time of year.  I am not a member of any facebook buying group, so please update this thread once a resolution or determination has occurred.  However, the fact that multiple boxes use similar barcode numbers makes the decision on authenticity a simple one.  This same scam was used at a few Estancos in Spain with Cohiba 1966s and Monte Grand Reservas back in 2011.  Boxes, bands, printing, packaging, barcodes, etc, was spot on.... but there were repetitious barcodes and the sticks were fake and tasted like someone picked them up in their back yard a day or so after the dog did its business out there.

[Jolly_WhiteGiant]

I don't understand how they can go through such great lengths to make them look legit, and then use duplicate codes...

[RamonBocAllone]

I have been following the entire story all week. Basically what happened is he was selling and raffling SEVERAL boxes and single's of different years. After a little time, a guy posts in the seller's group with proof showing that multiple years had the same serial on different boxes. Everyone was nice about it and the seller basically said " let me run an investigation and get back to you all". A few people were pretty upset. The seller then decided to post a picture of him smoking one of them, basically mocking the entire situation, only upsetting more people. After multiple days out waiting, the seller and his buddies come out with a verdict of the seller bought multiple boxes from someone he trusted who claimed to have connections that he didn't and he flipped them without checking the boxes thoroughly because he trusted his source. The seller and his friends are now claiming that he is the victim and it's a good thing someone brought it up because he could of lost more money....it's quite funny watching the whole thing and how it played out. But sad because lots of people got screwed and now multiple groups are questioning other sellers and lots of groups no longer allow Behike sales/auctions/raffles...some aren't allowing any Cohiba. 1 of 3 things happened here..
1. He bought them knowing they were fake and wanted to make some money.
2. He bought them, realized they were fake, and sold/raffled them anyway.
3. He bought them, didn't check the boxes, and sold tons of the boxes....
Any of them is bad and what's sad is everyone is saying he is the victim and no one should kick him when he's down. What's also very sad is that people are still vouching for him. Way I look at it is this....let's compare a Behike to a Jaguar. If I buy a Jaguar from a dealer and it turns out to be a lemon....1 of 3 things happen...
1. He knew it was a lemon and flipped it for a profit.
2. He found out it was a lemon and sold it anyway.
3. He didn't know it was a lemon, and found out after selling it.
This seller claims to have tons of knowledge and years in the game, which he very well may have....but none of these 3 are acceptable and I would never do business with a person who sold me a fake cigar or bad car on purpose or accident again. This is only my opinion. I am not claiming he did or didn't do anything.