Buying Cigs Online - Is it Safe?

Buying Cigs Online - is it Safe?

Having been ripped off recently, I asked this question. (List updated regularly) The answer is yes and no, depending on the vendor you use. Some are legit, others are FAKE. Websites selling illegal cigarettes don’t take credit/debit cards. They prefer anonymous, unregulated payment methods e.g.:

- Bank Transfer
- Moneygram
- Western Union
- bitcoin
- MonkeyPak
- Geopay
- Pre-paid virtual cards
- Cash in an envelope

If the web site offered instant payment from Credit Card, then you can call your card company and reclaim the money back at any point without hassle. Otherwise you have nothing to stand on.




Safe!, 100% Legit

Mysupermarket.co.uk
For residents of the UK, this handy web site will compare all cigs in all of the major supermarkets. I ordered mine via Tesco and they arrived no issues.

Asda.com
For residents of the UK, Asda is a well known supermarket which offers card payment and very cheap delivery, although sometimes they have mimimum orders. Mine arrived no issues.

DutchTobacconist.nl
A Dutch company founded in 2000 as AmsterdamCigars.nl, Hartman Cigars counts itself among the most widely known and appreciated names in the Dutch cigar-smoking culture. With 2 unique stores located in the centre of Amsterdam. Their online store offers single packs and cartons, and you can pay by credit card, a number of Dutch and German cards, and by secure bank transfer. Or you can walk into one of their high street stores and buy directly. Here is a video tour from 2009. Shipping is usually 2-3 days, so a customer should get their order within a week. Seized or lost shipments will be 100% refunded, or shipped again, with instant tracking and informed customer service options. Shipping to the UK is expensive at 25 euros, making a shipment of these more exotic cigs about the same price as you would pay at home for your usual brand. Shipping to other countries varies.

Smoke-king.co.uk
This is a specialist vendor from Leeds UK, offering unique and luxury items, cigars and cigarettes. Smoke-king is run by three ladies, Claire Green, Christine Green & Anna Toepritz (commonly known as The Smoke Queens), and this is a sister business to the Paul Green tobacco shop on Headrow in Leeds city centre. The company offers a direct telephone service 9.30am - 3.30pm UK time mon-fri, and their web site offers secure credit card purchasing. However, they will only ship items to the UK, they only sell single packs, and prices average around £10 per pack (more than many local sellers). On top of that you have postage; a First Class stamp for single items, or above 200g they charge £3.49. I ordered one package with 3 single items from here in 2015, and they were delivered. One poster here said they had problems when the site went down for a while.

Hannaford.com
For residents of N.E USA, New Hampshire and Maine. This site will show prices based on a store locator.

Store2Door.us
For residents of California, especially Burbank and Glendale, USA. Single packs available to buy online.

Instacart.com
For residents of the USA, this web site finds items and deals in your local area, and delivers them store-to-door. Just type in your Zip code, and compare prices online. They take all major credit cards, and promise to dispatch or sometimes even deliver, with 24hours. All tracking provided, and a very in-depth FAQ which covers everything.

Sams Club
For Residents of the USA. Sams Club is a membership only discount store, operated out of Fresno, CA. They have local clubs in several areas, which you can find by entering your Zip code. Prices are hidden from non-members. No info on this company, as as they offer department store items and credit card payment, it looks legit to me.

179cmAndUp.com (single packs only)
I think these are from Japan. I ordered a single pack of LaRose 520 pink from this store, and its the only cig item they sell. Easy payment via paypal, the total shipment was $13.99, and arrived in a very pretty letterbox sized package. Quite expensive for single packs so mainly for collectors only.

JTExpress.tokyo - One poster recommended this Japanese company; and their web site seems to be in English. The FAQ is actually quite helpful. They promise to ship within 30 days but can only estimate delivery, and this also depends on the imports customs, and post office dispatch times per country. They offer a very nice range of cigs, from well known American blends to very unique special finds, with 4 cartons as their maximum order. You pay double the listed price, with an average carton costing ¥ 4,500, Shipping is ¥ 3,700, and a Transaction Charge Rate (6%) ¥ 492 is added, bringing the total to ¥ 8,692 (£57.58/ or 76.46 USD, €65.50 equivalent). They offer Paypal as a payment option - so these guys should be secure, as Paypal always gives the full payment back to the sender if anything should go wrong, 30 days after the order date.

CGarsLtd.co.uk
This is the online version of Turmeaus Tobacconist, established in 1817, with various branches based mainly in Cheshire UK, and also in London. They sell luxury cigars, and is a specialist mail order service for fine cigars; which also sells Duty-Paid brands of cigs. The cig packs are listed under Luxury Cigarettes, and single packs or cartons can be ordered with all major Credit Cards. Prices are about the same as you would pay on the high street. Postage starts from just £3.50, with special delivery for around £8, and they will happily ship worldwide. Same day delivery is available for Central London customers. Rare and exclusive cigars can be ordered, and this company has a 100% guarenteed delivery reputation.

Tabac Boutique.com
Tabac Boutique (Tobacco Shop) was founded in 2008, and specialized in the sale of tobacco and cigarettes online, mainly for the European market. Their web site is exclusively in French, and they appear to only sell to France or French territories. European brands are available from their warehouses in Luxembourg, Belgium and Andorra. Payment options are: VISA and VISA Electron Cards, MasterCard and Maestro cards. Shipping costs for one carton/sleeve (10 packs) is €9, and one carton is around €45 including delivery. All deliveries are guaranteed. In case of loss / theft, they offer you the choice between full refund or return your package as soon as possible.Packages are oversized and protected to prevent damage, and all parcels are discreet, that is to say that the name of the sender will not be Tobacco-Boutique.com but T-Boutique. Nothing will reveal that it is cigarettes / tobacco inside.

Maison du tabac.com - A French web site, details in French.



Ebay.com
Ebay is 100% secure as all claims for fraud automatically get approved in the customers favour, and Paypal will always refund. You can also use a credit/debit card. There are various different types of ebay sellers, and some are better than others.

• Dealers
- There are very few tobacco dealers on ebay, and I havent found any.

• Broken Lots / Estate Sales
- Some collections are broken down into individual lots. Make sure they will post to your location, many US sellers also charge high postage. Many of these lots are antique cigs and are unsmokable due to age, and are for collections only.

• Single Packs
- All the private sellers who sell single packs have come through ok for me. These sales are often recent packs from people who recently gave up, or not needed anymore.

• Part-Time Dealers
- There are a few of these, who regularly sell classic or modern packs individually. One such person specializes in Chinese packs and is based in Hong Kong. The packs are very cheap at $4 to $6, and all orders have arrived no problem.

Ebay Search Links: UK, UK 2, FRANCE, ITALY, SPAIN, USA 1, USA 2, AUSTRALIA, HONG KONG (Vintage), HONG KONG (Modern), GLOBAL



Collectors Single Packs
Collectors can advertise on ebay (see above) but often have their own web sites, dedicated to the sale of classic brands. However, unless you enjoy cigs which taste of dust, mould, and old leaves, you wouldnt want to risk smoking any of these. The packs are in various conditions, from mint to heavily damaged, and some are Empty packs, so please read the info carefully before you buy. 

CigaretteCollector.net - Rudy Stoler is the proud owner of a sizeable collection left to him by his grandfather. The collection began in the 1940s, and grew to a vast archive of rare and classic full cigarette packs. The web site offers payment by Paypal or Credit Card, so you are always 100% secure, and shipping overseas costs $4. Combined postage and discounts may be available upon request. Rudy answered all of my emails promptly, and after a while he forwarded the shipping details so that I could check on the progress of my order. The package took around 2 weeks to arrive at my local UK post office, and there was a small customs charge of £9.61 to pay to get the package released. Most packs are available to buy form $8-$10, which is a bargain, although most of the best items have now been sold.

MEcollectibles.com - Middle East Collectables are a non-governmental, non-Political collectors group, which has been trading for more than 25 years. In 2008 they opened up a web site to help collectors fill the gaps in their collection, and help the Shia Islam Community worldwide with all their Prayer Needs. Among their stock of items is a selection of rate middle eastern cigarette packs, which are very hard to get or next to impossible to find. Prices are incredibly cheap!, and payment methods include Credit Card, Bank Transfer, US$ & GBP Cheques and Money Orders, and even cash! I emailed them about my order but they didnt reply, although the web site memorises your purchase history, and its easy to use the contact form. They promise to deliver within 4-6 weeks maximum by Registered Airmail, and my package arrived in the UK within 3 weeks - wrapped in a wonderful beige nylon and polyester bag, and packed tightly with newspapers. No customs charge on the package, and a smooth delivery.

YangShuLin - Yangshulin is a Far Eastern trader, with a wide range of rare and hard to find collectables at very good prices. Categories include Books, Tickets, Stamps, Currency, and of course Cigarette Packs, which are split into Vintage Packs, Modern Packs, and over 2000 Empty Packs. Due to recent Ebay rules about flavoured and special cigarettes, all these had to be taken down, so if you want Strawberry, Apple, Orange, Vanilla etc, you must ask for them. Yangshulin always answers customer emails, and can often find those extra special items for you. Prices are not expensive, and postage is extremely cheap at $6-$12, with combined postage available on request. To buy, click on the pack you want, then remove the '.HK' in the address bar after it says 'ebay.com' - now you can buy in US Dollars. Alternatively, you can change the '.com' to '.co.uk', or'.fr' etc, to buy in your local currency. Postage takes about 3 weeks but always arrives, and is worth it for something exotic.



Perhaps?, looks OK

To-World.com.com
A Japanese company which delivers cartons AND single packs. Some rare items. They keep a list of customers confiscations, Europe seems ok, Uk possible, they do not ship to most American States. The postage is insured but expensive at $27 per shipment, plus they add a $6.69 handling fee. Tried to order from them, but they only accept Wire Transfers and bit-coin, which are costly and NOT SAFE. One person posted their order arrived, in Feb 2019.

cigardd.com - This site if for people of Thailand only, and ships 2 packs at once for around ฿650. Express postage (Thailand only) is ฿60. Buyers pay by bank transfer from a selection of national banks, and can order by telephone or via the web site. The seller has no physical shop, and although they say they will not refund lost packs, they will refund damaged ones.

CheapCigarettes.net.au - This company has been operating since December 2004 in Melbourne, and caters to Australian residents only. They have no physical shop, and accept Net Banking Transfer or Direct Deposit to their CBA business account. The cigarettes are reduced in Tax with no extra costs, they are 100% genuine, and they deliver cartons for FREE via Australia Post Express service. However, one poster here said they have a minimum order of 4 cartons.

Smokes-spirits.com - Proudly owned and operated by an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians. Smokes-Spirits is a Native American business located on the Seneca Nation (a Sovereign Nation) in Western New York. As such, they can deliver products Americans Only, hopefully without paying taxes. The brands are almost always Native American; such as Real, and Native American Spirits. They will accept EChecks, Cashiers Checks, Personal Checks and Money Orders, and delivery by UPS Express - so orders are insured and guaranteed to arrive within 5 days (requires adult signature on arrival).

CiggiesWorld.com - This company registered in 2010, and are based in Canberra, Australia, although they ship from Indonesia, and you pay in U.S Dollars using your credit card. They offer a large range of Regular, Menthol, and Flavoured cigs, cigars and accessories, specialising in clove cigs. They sell single packs only! and you pay between $5-$10 per pack, and $7 postage for up to two packs - although this decreases with scale; so 10 Packs postage is $15. For example x10 '555' brand cigs will cost $55 + $15 postage = $70, which isnt much of a saving on your usual high street brands, but they have a range of something different. Reports say they can be slow to deliver, and some say between 15 and 45 days. The quality of the cigs is also 'Far Eastern', which may be a different blend to the ones you are used to, and while some say the service is always excellent and friendly, others say the cigs quality is cheap.



Unknown / Maybe?

Gigarettes.com
Yet another new face on the scene, the Gigarettes web site was founded in April 2019, and stocks all the usual cheap Eastern European brands you've seen before. In the blurb they say the cigs are not fakes, but Eastern Euro brands are unlikely to use the freshest finest Virginian tobacco. As usual, the registered address and phone number links to a location in Panama, although just for a change, the Fax number goes to somewhere in Peru. From the images posted on the Facebook group, I'd say this is either a local eastern European reseller who buys wholesale, or this is the usual South American dealer who registers via Panama? Gigarettes offer credit card and wire transfer (not safe) payments, and offer to refund any package seized by local customs - after you wait for it to be sent back, and also give them some money for redelivery. If the package is scanned, you pay the duty, although at an average price of £45 per sleeve, even doubling this could still make them cheaper than buying a carton/sleeve at home? If you send it back, you pay postage and run the gauntlet of a re-send.

sells cigarettes, but they have had some negative reviews here, here and here. One reader of this forum has said his orders have been delivered ok to Hungary. Access to this website is restricted on some browsers.

CigsSpot.com
- Many people have used this service and had good results so far, and with issue claimants getting their money back, although on the web site it says only 70% can be claimed as a refund. CigsSpot buys cheap European quality cigs from poor European countries warehouses, and ships them to a limited number of destinations. They use BitCoin, which can be expensive to purchase online, and offer delivery to the UK, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia, the US and Canada, but requires expensive Express Delivery, with a 4 carton minimum order.



Suspicious!

cigs-depot.com - Anything with 'depot' in the title sounds 'cheap', looks like most fake sites on this list. I couldnt find much info on them. They are registered in Tortola, which is the largest of the British Virgin Islands. They sell a large variety of (presumably) South American made cigs via (presumably) Panama. The faq says they will refund lost deliveries after 30 days, and they accept VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, JCB, DINERS credit cards, and WIRE Bank Transfers from 'most' countries. I cant find any reviews of this company, good or bad, but as the design looks like so many other questionable sites, I put them here.

cigoutlet.net, smokin4free.com and CanadaCigarettes.org
These web sites operate under the same umbrella, are resisted with Hong Kong Guangdong NiceNIC Technology Company, but operate from Minsk in the Ukraine. There is a wide selection of Eastern European brands and licenced blends, although the quality of the tobacco can be harsher than American cigs. Many of the brands listed are Sold Out, with only perhaps 10 different brands in stock, and with minimum orders of 2 or 3 sleeves. Prices per sleeve start from $16-$30, and aroud $10 per package postage costs. They split orders into shipments of 2 or 3 sleeves per shipment, and they say they offer a 100% money back guarantee in case of lost of damaged goods - although you might still pay tax on the items depending on your local import laws. Credit Cards are accepted, although the phone number on the web site goes to somewhere in America, you cant order cigs over the phone. Some negative comments online are mainly focussed on late delivery, so these are moved to Unknown.


AzCigs.biz
Looks very much like those above, especially cigoutlet. Not much is known about this company, although the design if the web site seems very familiar, and could be part of a chain network. This is a company run by 'Armen' out of Panama, they sell European cigs from bonded warehouses in Europe. Prices seem cheap at around $35 per carton, but postage is $10 extra per carton, and their minimum order is 2 cartons. The site offers several payment options including bit-coin (unsafe) and credit card. They dont accept returns unless the carton is damages or faulty, and if you return, you dont get delivery costs back. Credit card orders are transacted through Klik And Pay - which is safe and secure - and they claim to be able to refund costs (minus their fee) in the event of fraud.


Updated: cigarettes-mart.com - A HUGE range but only sell cartons in pack of 3 minimum. You can apparently pay by card. Ships worldwide. Not much information about these guys. They were registered by a company from Sanford, North Carolina - but all of their products are Eastern European in origin. Not so much fakes, but more the 'native brands' of those countries; the stuff you might find in Lithuania, or more likely Ukraine. Each item comes with a review section with between 10-75 reviews, with marks for Good Taste, Quick Delivery, Genuine Product, Trustworthy Product and Cheap Product. Very few items have scores for Genuine or Trustworthy, and those that do are low. There is no FAQ that I can find. One poster here said they didnt reply to emails, and the phone number is fake. This all sounds suspicious to me.

Cheap-cig.com - This company seems to be a clone of others on the suspicious list, and you pay be e-check - which as as bad as a money order when it comes to security. The offer good prices, with no minimum order, and the more you buy, the more you save. FREE Express U.S Shipping, and discounts for regular customers. Two reviews online but nothing from users of this forum.

Vietnamtobacco.com
Based of course in Vietnam. I ordered 200 Kiss cigs in 2015 and they arrived no problem. No cold calling or hassle, just a one time smooth order, but of course they could be copies? They have since stopped offering Kiss. Since then, they stopped offering card payments and now only accept Moneygram or bank transfer - which are both on the unsafe list. One poster on this thread reported a problem, so this has been moved down.

Online-smoke.com
The site looks like a bulk dealer, or someone who can take a holiday on your $500, and supply cheap cigs from a duty-free shop inside the airport on the way back. Shipping from 'various locations worldwide'. You cannot cancel an e-cheque payment but your seller can. Ask the seller to cancel the e-cheque and you will probably never hear from them again. If by some miracle you manage to get 3-12 cartons of cigs sent to your country, it will be unlikely customs officers will just ignore it when the shipment lands, meaning you pay the same for the cigs as you would have done at home anyway. I'd say its not safe.

www.kkare.com - This site posts lots of photos online, giving the impresson they are legit. Supposedly they ship worldwide, you pay by card, and they offer cartons and individual packs. But their location address leads to dead end in New York, the web site is registered to a guy from Fu Jian in China, and their facebook links dont work. I sent them many emails but they havent replied. The web site has been updated recently, but still offers the same fake address, and a FAQ which doesnt contain any information at all. I'd say this feels suspicious.

CigarettesStoreOnline.com
This web site was set up by two guys from Sichuan China, selling Marlboro and Newports. Considering the Far East has its own locally manufactured brands available for around $1 to buy, this could be a way to sell those back to Americans at inflated prices. Only cartons can be purchased, with a minimum of three cartons per order. They say they offer a no questions exchange or refund policy, assuming they send you the cigs in the first place, as the information on the site says they are based on "3rd Avenue, New York" - a bogus address. They only accept Western Union - which is a HUGE risk - and I would not trust this web site.

encig.com
A Chinese dealer who buys directly from Chinese Airport Duty Free stores, and only sells in Cartons. You pay by card, and they can ship express, or economy from $7.99, but cant guarantee you wont pay taxes if shipped to Canada, Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom, New Zealand, etc. One poster said they had no replies from emails and no delivery.

cigarettehouse.net - This site only sells to American customers only. You pay by card, and postage is good value Airmail at $9.49. They will split large shipments into smaller packages, but you'll most likely have to pick them up from your local Post Office, which can be 2-10 days after ordering.

buy-cheap-cigarettes.com - Looks very generic like most fake sites, one customer noted a delay.


Valur Network
"Valur" are based in Iceland, and import European quality cigs from Eastern Europe. There have been complaints registered online, and several postals have been shut down, remaining web sites include:
www.tobaccopub.net

ukcigaretteshop.co.uk - Their site says "All orders are processed and dispatched from abroad", not UK.



Not Safe!!!

Hot Topic DutyFreeKing.co - DutyFreeKing appeared on the internet in June 2017, but claims to have been trading goods since 2002. DutyFreeKing deal in European (non-FSC) cigarettes, and licenced products made in Europe, and ship from several Bonded warehouses around the world, including Dubai and Panama. They sell carton/sleeves only, and accept Credit Cards and Bitcoin, so Credit Cards are safe in case there is an problem. Shipping is 15.90 EUR or 19.50 USD per carton worldwide, or for USA packages its 19.80 EUR / 24 USD. They have a wide range of items in stock, and the web site has a very extensive FAQ for those interested in the details. One poster said they shipped to France no problem. Many posters on this thread have said their cigs did not arrive, or were short of the order, and with little or no contact for explanation or refunds.

Az-smokes.com - DNC Holdings, Inc. founded this web shop in the summer of 2012. Although registered in the US, they are another Bonded Warehouse dealer, who buy in bulk from European and global non-duty affected warehouses, and ship to your door. For this reason they have a minimum order of at least 2 cartons. The range is very good; with all the most popular French, British and American brands. Prices are also cheap: e.g. 2 cartons at $30 each, plus $10 delivery per carton, is $80 complete. The bad news is they only take E-Checks (Visa Payment is advertised everywhere on the site, but they DONT TAKE IT.). Az-smokes are also selective on where they can deliver, but no info about this is on their site. Arizona and parts of the USA, Portugal, and certain brands going to certain countries like Australia cant be shipped. They say to contact them directly before you make a purchase, but their telephone number doesn't work. They are also on Facebook. One post on here said they failed to deliver, and after six months of emails failed to send a refund.

Ukcigs.co - Usually near the top of UK searches, this site seems to have been registered by a German partnership, which operates out of New Providence (Nassau). The registrar is INTERNET.BS CORP, which makes me think this is part of the Alex Carter network. They ship cheap eastern European and Asian made cigs, meant for the Russian market. They split the shipment into 2 or 3 cartons per container, but give no guarantees regarding import tax, and are not responsible if you have to pay it. You can pay by Visa Credit or Debt card, and they say they will refund lost or damaged goods. Its looks like this web site is winding down, as their range is very limited and mostly sold out. They also have a 4 star review rating on trustpilot.

DiscountCigarettesMall.com
For residents of the USA only, this online shop is part of the Alex Carter network, has been trading European copy cartons to Americans since 2005. You save on the tax, and they taste almost the same. You also pay by credit card. The company has a registered company location of Ocean Centre, East Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas - which is presumably to get around US trade laws, and is also the address of their bank and lawyers. The registrar of all these sites is INTERNET.BS CORP. The website states "Cigarettes sold correspond to European specification and quality", which means these are European produced copies. The About page is vague. There have been a few reports on the internet, here (2010) is one, and I found others. One poster on this thread also posted a recent complaint of non-delivery and non-answered emails. You can see a law enforcement letter here.

Other sites in the Alexander Carter Network:

cigarela.com
cigarena.com
cigshop.net
cigarettesfor.us
online-cigarettes-shop.com - Now Joycigs.com
cigarettes-shop.us
cigarettesmax.com
best-buy-cigarettes.com



USA-cigarettes.com - This seems to be a bonded warehouse in Panama, although the emails I got felt like they were Chinese? I ordered 200 Misty 120's, and after they took my money via Western Union (£30), they said they needed a minimum order of 4 or 5 cartons, and then refused to send my order, or give a refund, even after promising to do so in back and forth emails. So I lost my money and received no items. Beware!

dutyfree.io - Quite long established. I have read many negative reports online about this company, and several posters on this thread said they ordered, but the goods never came, so this means it is listed as Not Safe.

Smokers-mall.com
Seems legit, with credit cards accepted, but there are so many negative complaints on the internet saying the shipments were "held in New York" and after 3 months it was reported as lost. Their facebook has complaints, and here is one report from 2016. They even charge $26 for express delivery and the items may not appear.

Vip-cigarette.com
This web site is managed by a guy from China. He claims to be based in Panama, and they pool global port collection tax evasion cigarettes of various countries, in three large warehouses in New York, Hong Kong, and London. They will ship directly to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and offer a huge range of cartons at the lowest prices, fast air freight delivery (just £9 or equivalent) and the price you pay is per carton (thats x10 packs). The packs they sell are ex-duty confiscations, and some of them have been lying around for some time. Many brands they appear to have in stock went off sale many years ago, and most dont even show health notices on the pack, so this gives you some idea of the 'freshness' of some of these. The year of manufacture is listed with each item. The other bad news is web site claims to offer credit card, but in fact only accepts Wire Transfers directly to this guys chinese bank account, so this is a no-way-back in cases of lost or non arrival of goods. In cases of loss, they only carry one sleeve of each of these items, so they are unlikely to replace it. I emailed them and they didnt reply. The web site has gone down many times over the years, currently it is up again.



Duty Free Depot:

dfreeshop.com - This is just a postal to clubcigarette.com, and doesnt directly sell cigs.
www.clubcigarette.com - This is just a portal to DutyFreeDepot (see DutyFreeDepot). One poster has reported a failed order after 30 days with no refund.
CigsMall.com- A Portal for DutyFreeDepot
www.onlinecigarettestoreus.com - Another offshoot of DutyFreeDepot.



Websites supposedly no longer selling cigarettes
Dutyfreedepot.com, - I ordered several times and many cartons from these guys. They often were seized by Customs and I had to ask them to resend them. They always did, but when the last carton took 6 months to arrive, with backwards and forwards emails, my loyalty collapsed. Dutyfreedepot.com is based in Israel and they use cheap copies. They also have an aggressive sales team, who will offer up to 15% discount on listed prices, only for the packs to be seized - and then long delays ensue. They use American sales people to drive hard bargains but mostly dont deliver. As one user wrote "Dutyfreedepot.com - This is the worst! Often they're crapping knock-offs full of sh*t and illegal as hell".



Websites active but closed!

BrandCigarettes.com - Looks very much like a clone of all the other fake sites, a huge minimum order, and one poster has reported bad feedback from emails, and no delivery.




Websites taken down!!

Thecheaponlinestore.com - This site appeared in December 2016, and offers very cheap items, and you can pay by credit or debit card - so in theory it should be safe (they accept VISA and Mastercard). Although they claim they will not refund items or re-sent items, and are not responsible for Customs and seizures. The FAQ didnt seem to have any topics listed, and they give no info on where the products are shipped from, only that they are from low tax wholesale distributors in 'other countries' and 'the more you spend, the more you save'. The company will ship to Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, France, UK, Ireland, although NOT to Israel and U.S.A due to restrictions on cigarettes. The web site domain is registered in the USA, but the web servers are based in Hong Kong. They are part of the DutyFreeCigsDepot network,or SkyDepot as it is also known. One poster on here (page 7) said their order arrived but "the cigs aren't exactly the same as I've ordered". You can read more testimonials for this company Here.

cigarette-on-line.com
They will ship cigs to anywhere Worldwide, with a no-quibble seizure refund (upon receipt of the custom's document), and ship from Saint Maarten (Sint Maarten) - which is a small tax haven island in the Caribbean next to Anguilla; which is part of The Netherlands. They sell Premium cigs made in the USA, France, UK, and Germany, and many lower quality cigs made in Poland or the Ukraine (to European specifications). You pay by credit card, and any size of order is shipped FREE worldwide, and should arrive within 12 days. The bad news is they have a minimum order of 10 cartons/sleeves on all items! One poster here says they ordered but the items never arrived, and no refund was given, and whole threads have been posted warning about this company.

Other sites in the Alexander Carter Network:
discountcigs.org
www.dotcigarettes.com
Cigs4us.biz
cigarettesforsales.com
discountcigarettesbox.com

Cigszone.com and Dirtcheapsmokes.com - These domains were registered in 2019, the first has a registered address in Louisiana while the second is Missouri - even though the shops they run are all based in California. They appear to offer credit card payments but some customers have paid with Google Pay; which is not safe, and a loss of cigarettes is not covered by their returns policy - as cigs are classed as drugs. There is no FAQ on the web sites, no mention of delivery notes or shipping details, and no mention of a secure returns policy. You can read some of the comments about these sites HERE. One poster on this thread said they have been scammed.

Valur Network
"Valur" are based in Iceland, and import European quality cigs from Eastern Europe. There have been complaints registered online, and several postals have been shut down, remaining web sites include:
best-tobacco.biz
topcigarettes.biz
cigarettestime.com
Cigs4Girls.net
www.cigarettesworld.com

CigaretteZ.co.uk
This company is managed by a guy called Ivan from Eastern Europe; who will ship mainly Russian targeted brands in cartons, to the UK or worldwide. It says they offer PayPal, Credit Card, Western Union, Money Gram, but comments on the FAQ of their own web site confirm that Paypal may not be an option. Orders must all be of the same size of pack, e.g no mixing King Size with Super Kings, and shipping is from £23 to £29 pounds per order, depending on weight, unless you order 5 cartons or more. Seizue insurance is offered at £10 per carton, and no claim can be made without sending the seizure notice, and your proof of insurance. Prices are not very cheap for these imports, and with shipping and insurance, cost as much as your local high street brands.

Cigroad.com
Cigroad may be a classic case of customer collective which has expanded?, and I often recommend that if customers can get together and buy in bulk, they can buy wholesale and save on the local and regional costs. Cigroad started in 2013 by selling to friends and family, but recently "formed contracts with the manufactures of the top brands. [They] buy them for the same price that stores buy them at. However [they] sell them to you at a cheaper rate." Cigroad started up on the internet in May 2019, and is based in Kansas, USA. They seem to specialise in state-to-state postal trades with Northern America; where the same cigs are sold at a slightly higher price. Postage and Shipping is free (supposedly) worldwide, with insured expedited Shipping costing $21.28. Prices are slightly higher than the cheap Eastern European vendors, but quality is 100% the same as you would find on an American high street, and there is no minimum order. U.S payments can be made with a debit card, but the rest of the world has to pay with bitcoin - which is not safe if your package is lost or stolen. Importers may have shipments confiscated by national customs authorities; which can take 30 days for it to be sent back; but Cigroad claim they will resend or refund items once they get them back, and they have an extensive Refund Policy page on their web site. The FAQ is minimal, and gives the impression they are focussed on attracting American customers.

mydiscountcigarette.net - This company sells products manufactured by European subsidiaries, and sells mainly to Eastern Europe and Russia. Card payments are secure and they offer cheap prices. On their web site it says they will ship to the USA, but will not ship to Italy, Finland, UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland or Sweden.

Unitedstatescigarettes.com - One poster here has reported an issue, and the site looks very much like a fake clone to me.
www.best-tobacco.com
hot-cigs.biz - Hot Cigs? sounds like knockoffs to me.
cigarettesPub.biz - "We works directly with the manufacturers and with European quality standards" - Euro Copies then.

SmokeCity.us - The company is based in Oklahoma and ships American Brands worldwide. They began in 2010, and the web site has been known as CiggieCity, CigsCity and CigaretteCity, and keeps popping up each year under a new name. Customers pay by MoneyPak - which is non-refundable in cases of lost deliveries, or BitCoin - which is again not safe, and you will NOT get any money back. Cartons are $50-$60, and shipping depends on where it is delivered. The web site only provides shipping once they have your details, with no info about shipping or countries which can be shipped to on the site. Some people on this thread have posted they were ripped off, while another poster reported the shipment arrived but quite late. This company does not provide a safe payment option like Paypal or Bank Cards, and now the domain is parked, so its now listed here, see below.

CiggieCity.us - The company ships American Brands worldwide. They began in 2010 and the web site has been known as CigsCity and CigaretteCity, and keeps popping up each year under a new name.

TobaccoRow.us- This seller has no physical shop, and delivers to US Customers Only, apparently with a cast iron credit card 100% money back guarantee if anything should go wrong. Minimum order is $20, maximum $800, and they ship via UPS for 7-14 day delivery times. They give no indication of the quality of the cigarettes, or where they buy them from, or even the city where they are shipped from; although the telephone number on their web site leads to a place in North Carolina. Two posters on here have been charged but no cigs arrived, with money taken but still no delivery. Their web site is currently down, and I suspect for good.

123-cigs.com
This company has been around for a while now, but so far not a single poster has mentioned them. 123-cigs.com are based in a bonded warehouse in Europe, but have their main call centre in New York City, and ship to American Customers only. They sell EU standard of tobacco (i.e. medium quality) and Philippines made (low quality) tobacco. Insured economy airmail is $4.5 per carton, and they will split large deliveries to lessen the risk of being taxed. Orders shipped via economy airmail can take 14 up to 28 days to arrive. They only accept E-Check for payment on orders, but they will sell single cartons, up to 12 cartons per order.

mycigaretteshop.net - Another fly-by-night package deal with ultra low prices and fast smooth delivery. The site is down.

CigEmpire.us - Several commenters suggested this company, established in 2003, and apparently they are based in the U.S.A. I couldnt find any genuine info on the site, or a FAQ. They use Google Wallet to purchase items; which is protected under Google Purchase Protection. But the web site states that issuing even one claim (a Charge Back) means you'll be banned forever. The web site is down last time I checked.

SmokeIsland.us - SmokeIsland has its share of controversy, but many Americans claim they have been able to buy cartons from this company, and paying by card. I tried to order items for UK delivery, and it said "We are unable to calculate shipping rates for the selected items" even though the web site claims to ship worldwide. They offer no refund in cases of items are seized by customs. Web site is down last time I checked.

Cheaptobaccoroll.com
A Netherlands vendor with no tax paid, apparently they sell cheap copies from Israel? I bought from here and they arrived. Two posters on here reported they were ripped off, so the company is now moved to 'Not Safe' status. Please note, I bought single packs only, not cartons/sleeves.

DutyFreeDepot sites:
cigs4you.com
cigsmarket.com
cigaretteorders.com
cigsmegashop.com
cigsstore.com
cigarettestopshop.com
cigsorders.com


CigaretteOnline.us - There have been four (4) posts on this forum reporting this as a fake online store, and they don't deliver your goods. Beware!

cigscity.us
CigarettesCity.net - Taken down. Started in 2010, now called CiggiesCity.Us

cigs.eu
usacigarettesonline.com
1cigarettesonline.com
azcigs.com
azcigs.net
bestcigarettesshop.com
best-tobacco.com
buycheapcigarettes.in
buyingcigarettesonline.in
cheapcigarette.org
cheapcigarettes-online.net
cheapcigarettesworld.com
cheapmarlborocigarettes.in
cheapmarlborocigarettesonline.com
cheapmarlborocigarettesoutlets.com
cheappricecigarettes.com
cheapsmarlborocigarettesonline.net
cheaptaxfreecigarettes.com
discount-cheap-cigarettes.net
discountcigarettesworld.com
discountscigarette.com
Discount-marlboro.com
Discountmarlboro.net
Tax-freemarlboro.com
marlborocigarettes.biz
marlboro-cigarettes.us
marlborocigarettescoupons.com
marlborocigarettesonline.net
marlborocigarettesonline.com
Cigarettesmarlboro.com
Marlborocartons.com
Marlborocigarette.com
Marlboro-cigarettes.biz
Malborocigarettes.com
Malborocigarettes.net

From the ASH report:
www.buycigarettesdiscount.com
www.cheapcigaretteshq.com
Lowpricecigarettes.com, 16.50, Cigarettes received 19March.  Price charged £24.50
Tobaccofromspain.com 17.76 Credit card details taken & £22 debited from ASH credit card, but no cigarettes received
Cigaretteclubspain.com 19.00 Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received.
Way2netshop.com 10.26 (Marlboro lights) Cigarettes intercepted by customs. Charged a further £27.65 duty. Total cost £36.91. Wrong brand received.
Smokeplanet.com 15.84 Cigarettes arrived 21/3. Price charged £16.77.
Cheapcigarettes.com, 25.00, Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received
Cigaretteseller.com 19.00, Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received.
Cigarettesfromspain.com 25.00, Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received
Cigarettesinternational.com, 23.00, Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received.
Easysmoking.com, 18.94, Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received
e-tobacco.com 27.33 Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received.
Tobacco-online.net, $22.29 (£15.27) Credit card details taken but no cigarettes received
Tobaccoking.com - "They have siezed the tobacco 500g in total which is equal to 10 packs. Something to do with VAT and UK tax not being paid on it "

Please report more below.