Fake/Bogus Freemasonry affects us all

Brethren,
I would like your opinions and definitions of Fake/Bogus Freemasonry. I am very concerned about how many sites and groups/clubs there are that sell themselves off as Masonic. Unsuspecting people seeking Masonic information find a site online and can often be decieved by a group claiming to be Masonic. Recently I checked out a wanna be group's site in Arizona. They were using a Mainstream Video that they found on youtube to entice people to join. It was made by Grand Lodge of Indiana which is as legitimate and Masonic as one could ask for snd I am sure that it was not intended to be used by a breakaway group. It was removed when I brought it to their attention and they were caught in a web of deception. People were being duped by this group and are every day with every Internet hit. The same group has had up to four names and recently has associated itself with a very old Grand Lodge in order to add credibility to their group. This is just one of them. There are many. Please help by adding to the points that people should look for when seeking Masonic Infomation. I will post some that I can think of...

1. Physical location of Grand Lodge and Lodge. The Internet Bogus groups often have no physical address or use a home or P.O. Box as an address. This takes away from it's credibility. Grand Lodges in the States and almost everywhere have a grand history and one that can be traced. If a Lodge is meeting at a pizze place or coffee shop type place then something could be wrong. In the States there are two Recognized Masonic Grand Lodges in every state. They are the Grand Lodge of (Put in State name) and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall of (Put in name of state) These are the best places to get Masonic information. Visit their Grand Lodge Office or find a Lodge where you can meet the Brethren. There are other Masonic organizations that are sincere and honest but these Grand Lodges are not Recognized by Mainstream Grand Lodge. They might also be fake. If you feel something is not right then it is not.

2. Who are the leaders? Do an Internet search of their name. Many of the people that start these Bogus groups were members of a real, Mainstream Masonic Lodge. Some were expelled from Masonry, find not to be very upstanding and denied the continuance of the Masonic Degrees, not able to live up to the high standards that Masons should live up to or just have problem with authority. If a search of the group o the person shows a change of Lodges or Grand Lodge names then by all means take it as a Red Flag.. Many of these groups to not even show the leadership.

3. Ask if they are part of Mainstream Masonry and if being a members entitles you to visiting Mainstream Masonic Lodges everywhere. Often a man will come to our Lodge and show us a dues card from an organization that is not Recognized and has a very shady past. They often tell us that they were told "You can visit any Masonic Lodge in the world."

4. Investigate/investigate/investigate. Don't be conned by a smart marketing campaign. Visit and ask questions. Find out when the Lodge was formed and when started. Don't be tricked into such things as "We are sponsored or Recognized by a Grand Lodge that has a long history."
Research... If it smells like fish then it is fish.

Sincerely & Respectfully,
Manny Blanco,PM
Moreno Valley Masonic Lodge # 804
Moreno Valley, CA
Grand Lodge of California

The views expressed our my own and based on research and contact with Fake/Bogus Freemasonry. I do not speak for Grand Lodge of California or any Masonic Body.