Do You Have Authentic or Fake Cuban Cigars??

OK, This is a contentious topic, I know. There are bound to be millions of sites and thus millions of different answers and otherwise conflicting stories on this topic as well. Here's what you really need to know. Any other questions, please ask.

• RULE #1 - "If it Sounds To Good to Be True"......
• Therefore, the guy that offers to sell you a box of Cohiba's for $40 on the beach, in whatever Spanish speaking country you happen to be, is not selling real Cohibas. No matter what his story is.
• Same thing goes for a store. Refer to Rule#1. Buy smokes at reputable CIGAR SHOPS (not corner stores or holes-in-the-proverbial-wall), and you'll get good smokes.
• Don't buy from Ebay. Most will obviously be fakes, and you will notice that yourself. This isn't a knock against Ebay - most sellers don't know much, if anything, about cigars. Often they are just reselling the aforementioned fake cubans they bought on the beach for $40 that they thought were real.
• RULE #2 - Buy only from Cigar Shops, and when you have to, Reputable Websites.
  
• Ignore anything you ever read about labels, boxes and box codes. Because it won't help you. If people can fake $100 bills they can sure as hell fake labels, and/or steal them. Also, the Cuban Government can change box codes faster than you can change pants, so even if you learn one or two you may not know the most current ones or even last years. There have been a few changes in the past few years. (Disclaimer - There is a time and place for box codes and it is collecting. They won't help with authentication unless you know what you're doing, and that means you are probably a collector.)
  
• Look at the damn Cigars!!! If the shop won't let you inspect the box, don't take it. If they don't look real, don't take them. If they don't look to be in good shape don't take them, and so on..... COHIBAS DO NOT COME IN GLASS TUBES OR GLASS TOP BOXES FOR GOD SAKES!!!
  
• RULE #3 - If you are skeptical, DO NOT BUY!!
  
• A box of Montecristo No.2's in Havana Cuba, at a factory or reputable shop should be around $300 US. (if anyone has a more accurate figure please post, keeping in mind that prices vary by time, Cuban city, and store.) Elsewhere in the world price depends on the local taxes/duties. The same box in Canada should be about $725 CAD. Switzerland, and Spain are notoriously cheaper, sometimes cigars are not much more expensive there than in Cuba.
• REREAD RULE #1!!