OPSEC Slipups

[sidewinder]

Over the last few years I have been buying preps...many over the internet.

From many different sites.

Delivered by many different companies and people.

So If I had to add up everyone that knows I'm a prepper....that I really actually don't know....I would guess there could be at least 50 to 100 strangers that know how much and what types of things I have accumulated. This doesn't count the gun dealer/s and other sales people for things I bought in local stores.

They know my name and address and many know my face and mail routines. They could have copies of packing/delivery slips in their personal collection of places to go and people to see.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knXlKX-IRec

If they aren't preppers and want to be scavangers...they are loaded with vital information.

Aslo you don't know who has reported back to any government agencies ...If you see something...say something.


At this point since I now have a substancial investment in stuff....selling my house and moving could be a very good idea....Doesn't mean I'll be totally safe...but may be just safer than I am now.

[Stormfeather]

While I agree that there may be a couple of folks out there that may have an idea that you are a prepper, I dont think I would worry too much. If/When SHTF, I seriously doubt that unless you have done hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of preps, that you should have anything to worry about. Its those that buy in huge amounts that i think would be more on the skyline that the average joe. Heck, the Emergency Essentials catalog comes open all the time, so im sure my mail-woman takes the time to browse it before I get it! Am I worried? Not really, I just hope that she takes something from it and starts prepping herself!

[sidewinder]

While I agree that there may be a couple of folks out there that may have an idea that you are a prepper, I dont think I would worry too much. If/When SHTF, I seriously doubt that unless you have done hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of preps, that you should have anything to worry about. Its those that buy in huge amounts that i think would be more on the skyline that the average joe. Heck, the Emergency Essentials catalog comes open all the time, so im sure my mail-woman takes the time to browse it before I get it! Am I worried? Not really, I just hope that she takes something from it and starts prepping herself!

You are assuming she has the money and an old man that preps. What if they are broke drug users? Or she has a big mouth and likes to brag about all the stuff she delivered to Prepper Bobs house?

Don't forget she works for the government. They may have been giving secret directives to "spy" of squirrels gathering nuts. Maybe for a reward. I don't put anything past anyone.

I've had lift gate trucks bringing cases and buckets of stuff. The boxes were clearly marked from prep sites. Everyone likes to advertise. Luckily I run a business out of the house so some of my interests my be concealed by that. But my business isn't a preparedness business.

[The Stig]

You could almost walk down the street in full battle-rattle and with a rocket launcher strapped to your head. Most people will be oblivious. People are too wrapped up in their own lives to notice those around them.

That's not to say there aren't criminals in the world, or that evil doesn't exist. Could there be a drug addict mailwoman who makes mental notes on who's ordering the superpails of wheat and plans to bushwhack them should the need arise? Of course. And the "government" has far easier ways to collect information than having postal carriers note who's getting the Midway USA catalog.

Can it happen? Yes. Am I worried about it? About as much as I am werewolves.

Don't be reckless but there comes a point when you can be too paranoid.

ETA: Opsec slip up? Posting on and/or administrating a prepper/shtf website. Sidewinder, our opsec is already shot.

[Sniper-T]

If you're that worried about it... can you not have it delivered to a PO box instead? even one in another town? Then there would be only a couple that knows who you are.

Make it a town some distance away, on the otherside of a river... and you're getting more secure.

IMO, I wouldn't worry about it! there are enough things to worry about. Like them pesky Werewolves!

[helomech]

Well no one will deliver to my house. They say we live to far away, so they deliver all my packages to my wifes work in another town.

[sidewinder]

Well no one will deliver to my house. They say we live to far away, so they deliver all my packages to my wifes work in another town.

Now all her co workers know she has stuff....you know how everyone talks at work....

I'd rather take my chances with the mailman.

[ladyhk13]

I was actually thinking along the lines of what happens when we get ready to sell the house we are in? We have closets full of preps of every kind. I worry that the realtors bring people through that won't be buying the house but will go back to friends or whatever and tell them about the house they just looked at and all the stuff that was in it. How do you go about hiding several years worth of preps not to mention all of my DH's "stuff" that takes up a whole room?

[The Stig]

I was actually thinking along the lines of what happens when we get ready to sell the house we are in? We have closets full of preps of every kind. I worry that the realtors bring people through that won't be buying the house but will go back to friends or whatever and tell them about the house they just looked at and all the stuff that was in it. How do you go about hiding several years worth of preps not to mention all of my DH's "stuff" that takes up a whole room?

Funny you should ask....

I just went through this scenario 7 months ago.

Simple answer....not much. Unless you want to move most of your gear to a trusted friends house the simple fact is people will look in your closets, under your bed and in your garage.

You can mitigate some things by packing them in big plastic totes and stacking the totes neatly in the garage or on shelves in the basement. The "cover story" is that you are de-clutering for the move. Fact is, however, people can and will peek inside.

You can also stash some items in hard to reach areas that people generally don't explore when walking-through a house. Attics, craw spaces, hard to reach nooks in the utility room, etc. But again, this doesn't guarantee anything. And if you accept an offer you'll have to move it all again for the home inspection.

We also moved some items to a rented storage locker that was near the house. Not ideal but you've minimized the exposure to a couple people at the rental place instead of hordes of people viewing your house.

Here's what I finally had to accept: If you are an "opsec nazi" you either haul all your supplies to a trusted friends house or live with the fact complete strangers are going to see your stuff. If you can't do either, you shouldn't move. You can minimize, hide, and obfuscate your items but ultimately during a move process you'll have a cadre of strangers in your home.

[Sniper-T]

Do you guys have self storage facilities down there. Be worth getting a locker and clearing stuff out ahead of time. Any realtor will tell you, a clean non cluttered (read mostly empty) house sells quicker and easier than one stuffed. people can see the space and visualize what they will put there. Don't use the attic or crawlspace, as anyone looking to make an offer will check these areas thoroughly.

As for checking inside totes and stuff... yup expect it, even if it is intended innocently. "Hmm, wonder if there is a moisture issue here, why is everything sealed in plastic. let's see if this stuff is wet" or infested, or burnt...etc.

[ladyhk13]

I was thinking that we were going to have to move everything out. It is well organized...the closets have industrial shelving units and everything is lined up nice and neat...it's just that we have a lot of them. There is only 2 of us in a 5/3 house with over 3100 sq ft so I have lots of space to put stuff. I was thinking that maybe I should find boxes that fit on the units and fill them with my preps and put them back up? I would hope that people won't open boxes? I know it would look kind of weird to have those kind of shelving units in all of the closets but as long as the people knew that they didn't come with the house maybe they would overlook them?

[Sniper-T]

If you have a spare room... IMO you would be better off boxing everything up and stacking all the boxes along one wall. That way, you're emptying everything out (shows better), and you're organizing your stuff in one place. The realtor will just explain that it's your stuff that you're prepping for the move. If the shelving units are attached to the closets (screwed in), you would be better off removing them before showing, as generally, anything "fixed" to the house, stays with the house.

just my .02c

[ladyhk13]

If you have a spare room... IMO you would be better off boxing everything up and stacking all the boxes along one wall. That way, you're emptying everything out (shows better), and you're organizing your stuff in one place. The realtor will just explain that it's your stuff that you're prepping for the move. If the shelving units are attached to the closets (screwed in), you would be better off removing them before showing, as generally, anything "fixed" to the house, stays with the house.

just my .02c

That's a pretty good idea and will probably have to do that. No, the shelving units are those big commercial ones ya buy at Sam's (metal) so we can break them down and stow them without much problem...just take them out to the workshop or the apple barn (concrete building where all the apples were washed and then stored from our orchard when it was up and running as a business). So that way they would be out of the way and have big empty closets which every woman loves!