{"id":28488,"date":"2018-08-07T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-06T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=28488&preview=true&preview_id=28488"},"modified":"2024-09-18T16:34:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T06:34:09","slug":"scams-in-cuba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/scams-in-cuba\/","title":{"rendered":"How to avoid scams and Havana bad time in Cuba"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cChicas, hola!\u201d a voice called out to us from across the street. We all paused and rolled our eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019d been complimented or waved down more times than hours we\u2019d been in the country and it was getting a little predictable. I\u2019d met friendly locals in many countries, but Cubans<\/a> were something else.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy girlfriend lives next door to your casa<\/em>, I saw you arrive earlier. \u00bfComo Estas?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBien, gracias<\/em>,\u201d my friend replied with a cursory smile. We started walking away when he smoothly stepped back in front of us.
\n\u201cPerd\u00f3n<\/em>, but where are you going? Can I help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Thirty minutes later, we were walking out of his friend\u2019s house, arms full with boxes of Cuban cigars. We didn\u2019t know it yet, but we had just fallen victim to one of the most common scams in Havana<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As someone who is well-travelled, I don\u2019t consider myself na\u00efve and certainly not one to be sucked into a con, but Cuba presented a new set of challenges. Strange situations can lead to unexpected adventures, so when I travel, I try to keep an open mind while maintaining a reasonable level of scepticism. And with so much misinformation circling around the Caribbean country, I was determined to see past the stereotypes and seek out authenticity. The problem? Cuba blurred the lines between \u2018outgoing local\u2019 and \u2018professional hustler\u2019 so frequently, I was constantly questioning whether I was being helped or taken advantage of.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: WHAT IT’S LIKE ON A CUBA TOUR (FROM SOMEONE WHO’D ONLY BEEN TO ALL-INCLUSIVES THERE)\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

To most Cubans, tricking tourists out of a few dollars is just a game; they don\u2019t mean any harm or threat. If you say no gracias<\/em> and smile, they\u2019re more likely to engage in friendly banter than to become aggressive. And when you consider the meagre government rations most live off, their mischievous ways are understandable.<\/p>\n

To avoid Havana bad time in Cuba, look out for these common swindles (or check with your local leader to make sure you’re not being taken for a ride!).<\/p>\n

1. Fake Cuban Cigars<\/h3>\n
\"Portrait

Okay… that one looks real. Image via Shutterstock, by ESB Professional.<\/p><\/div>\n

The scam? <\/strong>Selling stolen, dodgy or entirely fake Cuban cigars to unsuspecting tourists.
\nThe ploy? <\/strong>An elaborate backstory explaining how they acquired the cigars. I\u2019ve heard variations from \u2018we\u2019re given two boxes a month by the factory\u2019 to \u2018the Castro government allows us to sell cigars from our houses once a month, at a quarter of the retail price.\u2019<\/p>\n

Even if you would never normally smoke, many tourists will try a cigar or two as part of their Cuban cultural experience. My friends and I were sucked in by the second ploy I mentioned, so I\u2019m sure you\u2019re judging us right now. How could we have fallen for such an obvious con? Well, if we had any doubt of the legitimacy of the story when we first heard it, we certainly didn\u2019t after seeing the cigars in proper boxes with holographic seals. Everything looked legitimate to our inexperienced eyes, but after returning home and doing some research, I learned that the entire cigar trade in Cuba is government-owned-and-regulated. If someone is offering cigars at a quarter of the market price, politely decline and head to one of many authorised stores or factories across the country.<\/p>\n

The cigars my friends purchased are likely to be:<\/p>\n