Independent musicians around the Internet are being contacted by an individual named Joe Gentile from a so-called record label called Deka Records. Here is a copy of the eMail he is sending to vulnerable artists:

Hello, my name is Joe Gentile from Deka Records. I would be interested in
releasing your music on our label. Are you the person I should contact? My
assistant found you on getsigned.com. If so please email me back so I can
send you information pertaining to possibly signing you with Deka Records. I
would like to send this to you in email. Once I receive your email I will
then forward you a preliminary contract.

We are a small label but do have charting artist. Please see Trinity Lane on
our website.

This is not a scam, spam email or a bot of any kind. I am from Deka Records
we are a small indie label and we have been open for about a year. We do
have a few artist on the label doing very well, selling records throughout
the world.

I thank you in advance, and
I look forward to hearing from you!

Joe Gentile
Deka Records
A&R Executive

After you contact him, he pitches the con on you. You pay him $1000 and he will distribute your music on the Internet. If you sell 200 CDs, then he will give back your original $1000 investment. Since most of these artists are unknowns, they will never make their money back! Like me!

I know, I was ripped off by this scam. We live in the Phoenix area and tried to track down his office. There is no office! The address he gives out is a strip mall with various businesses like a hardware store. It’s a paid mail box location! No office of a record label!

He claims his label will make a $15, 000 investment into your music to promote it in the real world and make you a big star, after you send him the $1000! But he never provides this information!

His website has tons of unknown artists he has scammed money out of them! Many have complained but get nowhere! We have complained to the BBB and consulting with an attorney, since I was under 18 years old when I signed his contract. He didn’t even care I was 17 at the time, he just wanted my money and promised me stardom!