# Legitimate or Charlattan?



## Ytayan (Sep 28, 2017)

Hello... 

I have received an email from a guy telling me that he is setting up a freemason lodge in Dubai. 

I have no idea how he got my information. But in his email he mentionned that he is setting up meetings with people who are also interested. ... 

I am attaching the email i received from him. Ill appreciate your input. 

Thx, 

Joseph. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





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## CLewey44 (Sep 28, 2017)

Did you try to contact any PHA lodges in that area? Most military lodges in that area, I believe, are PHA.


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## Ripcord22A (Sep 28, 2017)

I'd be wary


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## Brother JC (Sep 28, 2017)

Scam


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## Ytayan (Sep 28, 2017)

CLewey44 said:


> Did you try to contact any PHA lodges in that area? Most military lodges in that area, I believe, are PHA.


Thank you for your reply... can u shed some more light plz? ... i am not familiar with the Acronym... thx

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## Ripcord22A (Sep 28, 2017)

Prince hall affiliated(PHA) 


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## CLewey44 (Sep 28, 2017)

In that case, I'd just listen to what everyone else is saying here.


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## Bloke (Sep 28, 2017)

Scam is my first thought. I have heard of such scam emails before...


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## Glen Cook (Sep 28, 2017)

The easy response is to ask which Grand lodge. If he declines to say, you decline till he does say.


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## Mike Martin (Sep 29, 2017)

Obvious SCAM (to a Freemason anyway)!

REGULAR (ie a part of the worldwide thing known as Freemasonry) Lodges and Grand Lodges stopped being started independently over 250 years ago. New Lodges must be consecrated by a Grand Lodge which must have been regularly constituted itself in the first place.

I feel quite certain that his next email will be asking you to deposit a large amount of money!


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## Ytayan (Sep 29, 2017)

Theres a lot of replies after that i itial email. If you guys are interested, i have no problem to post the rest of the conversation.  Hopefyyly no more ppl will be scammed under the name of the freemasonry. God how i wish to be one soon. Thx Joseph

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## Mike Martin (Sep 29, 2017)

The problem that you have is that (as far as I know) Freemasonry is not a legal pastime in Dubai, although there was a story 5 years ago saying it had been legalised but this was never actually confirmed by anybody in authority. As a result you will not be able to join a proper Lodge until such time as the UAE Government changes its stance on the fraternity.


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## Warrior1256 (Sep 29, 2017)

Glen Cook said:


> The easy response is to ask which Grand lodge. If he declines to say, you decline till he does say.


Excellent point.


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## Brother_Steve (Oct 20, 2017)

Not to sound scary, but law enforcement in countries where Freemasonry is illegal will use any means necessary to find out where underground lodges are meeting. It will also do same to root out any men who were made Freemasons before moving to a country where it is illegal. These men might not practice freemasonry, but they may still meet in secret for fellowship.

I'd be wary of any email asking for personal information where replying to it could get you in legal trouble. Avoid those emails like the plague.

Is your last name involved in those emails? If anything, I'd just reply that you've since found out that Freemasonry is illegal and are no longer interested, but before you do that, lets see if others agree with me.


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## David612 (Oct 21, 2017)

Brother_Steve said:


> Not to sound scary, but law enforcement in countries where Freemasonry is illegal will use any means necessary to find out where underground lodges are meeting. It will also do same to root out any men who were made Freemasons before moving to a country where it is illegal. These men might not practice freemasonry, but they may still meet in secret for fellowship.
> 
> I'd be wary of any email asking for personal information where replying to it could get you in legal trouble. Avoid those emails like the plague.
> 
> Is your last name involved in those emails? If anything, I'd just reply that you've since found out that Freemasonry is illegal and are no longer interested, but before you do that, lets see if others agree with me.


Sounds like a plan to me


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## CLewey44 (Oct 21, 2017)

Brother_Steve said:


> Not to sound scary, but law enforcement in countries where Freemasonry is illegal will use any means necessary to find out where underground lodges are meeting. It will also do same to root out any men who were made Freemasons before moving to a country where it is illegal. These men might not practice freemasonry, but they may still meet in secret for fellowship.
> 
> I'd be wary of any email asking for personal information where replying to it could get you in legal trouble. Avoid those emails like the plague.
> 
> Is your last name involved in those emails? If anything, I'd just reply that you've since found out that Freemasonry is illegal and are no longer interested, but before you do that, lets see if others agree with me.



This is also to the point of when we are solicited on here by folks from other countries to tell them where the local lodges nearby are, especially non-European or North American, we should probably (and I don't think anyone is) not be giving that information to people on here. It's one thing to say 'the one in Biloxi, MS is on main street' vs telling someone where the lodges are in Syria, Yemen or something like that. Whether it's legal or not, Masons in some countries are just as secretive as if it were illegal due to some 'groups' being out for them. These people looking for Masonic info would likely come somewhere like here to try and find out where these men meet. We have to be weary of the safety of some of our overseas brethren, especially those laboring in silence.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 21, 2017)

CLewey44 said:


> This is also to the point of when we are solicited on here by folks from other countries to tell them where the local lodges nearby are, especially non-European or North American, we should probably (and I don't think anyone is) not be giving that information to people on here. It's one thing to say 'the one in Biloxi, MS is on main street' vs telling someone where the lodges are in Syria, Yemen or something like that. Whether it's legal or not, Masons in some countries are just as secretive as if it were illegal due to some 'groups' being out for them. These people looking for Masonic info would likely come somewhere like here to try and find out where these men meet. We have to be weary of the safety of some of our overseas brethren, especially those laboring in silence.


Very true. This had not occurred to me.


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## Brother H (Nov 7, 2017)

Hi Youssef,

As per the above mentioned replies, it is most probably a clandestine Mason and Lodge/GL.

However, you also sent me a private message asking how to join Regular Lodges in Lebanon belonging to GL of New York (which I replied).

You need to stop sending emails to everyone asking to join, as this will attract to you many Clandestine Associations; go straight to the mainstream Lodge/GL.

All the best with your path!

Bro H
Lebanon Lodge #10,
District GL of Syria Lebanon,
GL of New York

Cedars Chapter #335
Grand Chapter State of New York, Royal Arch Masons

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## Warrior1256 (Nov 7, 2017)

Brother H said:


> ou need to stop sending emails to everyone asking to join, as this will attract to you many Clandestine Associations; go straight to the mainstream Lodge/GL.


Yep! They want your money!


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