Proceed with caution!


People get excited about meeting others of like mind but the caution is always there that you want to meet the RIGHT people to network with. Their is always a danger in meeting the WRONG PEOPLE also.
We received this email just a few days ago from a friend on a small forum

"Dave and Bob- I saw you both a while back at the FLORIDA FORUM NAME DELETED campout. I concerned about the people we meet their. Some are not far from me and with what I witnessed at the campout, I wish I lived in "Idaho" also. That old thread were the owner of that forum said he was going to take over peoples compounds or farms during a disaster really made me think. Now seeing how he acted in person and after the campout, I'm not sure I should be on that board. I might be paranoid but I think Fred is gathering infomation so he can steal supplies from people during a disaster."

Name withheld.


Well honestly, it's been a concern of more than a few folks. Any time someone posts their INTENTIONS of stealing supplies from others if TSHTF they are someone to watch and guard yourself around. That being said, I was there and saw that person, they don't stand much of a chance of pulling off what he previously wrote-

Posted by "Fred" the owner and admin of http://www.flsurvival.com/index.php?board=1.0

in this thread -

http://www.flsurvival.com/index.php?topic=844.30




"Fellas, I am an amateur at this! That's why I'm here, is to learn and network for resources in those other areas to "Make It" when the SHTF!EMP's, not prepared yet for that, working on it! Communications, Vehicle's etc. still working on it.Sustainable long term food? Nope, not to that degree yet! Gardens going, nope, not that either!Showing up in a desolate "Eden" with a caravan of folks with arms and supplies: This is still being worked out, but yes, going to show up and put my hands up, walk over and talk to those folks held up in arms. Tell them who/what we are and have to offer, try to make a plan of banding together. At that point they can't just turn down an opportunity to join forces as things are getting rough out there. I'll try everything possible to barter my way in. If that don't work, I fall back and the group makes a plan on the circumstance to over take it or move on.
Let's put this into a real scenario; 4-6 days after the SHTF, people won't be that organized, and that's the time to make those travel plans if needed. Less of desperation, organized gangs from lawlessness, etc. etc.People are survivalist, no matter what type of situations you put them in, sit back and reflect around the world and think about some of our history in a real perspective for a second. People have overcome and survived through some real crap!I don't have all the answers for what we will and will not encounter on the road, or what if situations to a multiple amount of things that can go wrong. Not a pro survivalist, psychic or anything else that would give me a sense of security in what is coming."

You can see why the person in the email showed concern. People who state that they are going to come to an established retreat and "negotiate" their entrance in, if that doesn't work they will "take it" you would be foolish not to show some concern around people of that character. I attended the campout the email mentions, I met Fred and although I'm not at al concerned that a guy like that could actually pull that plan off, it further reveals his character.
When you couple that with the manipulation techniques that were clearly being used both at the gathering and on his little site, well it serves as a warning to others. Furthermore, a close examination shows that Fred himself never seems that interested in the threads relating to food storage, long term survival skills, etc.
A real survivalist or "prepper" who IS preparing wants to know about things like that. Someone who's plan is to "take it" from others sees little need in storing food, etc. ahead of time. Certainly just meeting the fellow and watching him for the weekend as well as reading numerous posts of his, shows that he is ALWAYS looking for the easy way out.

In this case, he has already stated his easy way out, it is-

"Showing up in a desolate "Eden" with a caravan of folks with arms and supplies: This is still being worked out, but yes, going to show up and put my hands up, walk over and talk to those folks held up in arms. Tell them who/what we are and have to offer, try to make a plan of banding together. At that point they can't just turn down an opportunity to join forces as things are getting rough out there. I'll try everything possible to barter my way in. If that don't work, I fall back and the group makes a plan on the circumstance to over take it or move on."

and also

"Upon arrival at the new land frontier, the land will be taken, claimed, negotiated into joining or bartered with the occupants. The caravan should be at least twice the size it was when it left South FL by that point, and most will be turned into a security force."

Anyone who IS actually preparing would be smart to steer clear of these types of folks. Certainly on REAL survival forums like Frugal Squirrels, AR15.com and others, people who talk like this are chastised quickly and people avoid them like the plague.
So yes, their is a REAL DANGER in meeting the "wrong people." When you see someone surrounding themselves only with people they can CONTROL, then utilizing clear MANIPULATION techniques on their little site, then STATING OPENLY that they plan to "take it" from others instead of actually PREPARING on their own, well Sherlock Holmes would call that "a clue!"

But don't get disheartened. This small group of people, which was really just Fred and his family represent a VERY SMALL MINORITY in the survival community. Certainly most of the other attendees of the meet were decent folks. The nice thing about meeting others is that it cuts through the hype. They might act or seem 6 foot 4 and 200 lbs. super survivalist on the internet but when you meet them and their family is screaming and cussing at each other all weekend, their kids are out of control and act dangerously and what they SAY doesn't match up with what they DO, well you get the REAL PICTURE then. I personally have no interest in hanging around folks into the drug culture either.

Liberals and new agers like them always cry 'tolerance' but they themselves show little tolerance for folks that don't want to surround themselves with drugs. Don't feel bad about your decision to come to that get together. I knew better myself but went anyways. :( Thankfully about a month ago I made the decision that my family would NOT attend with me. Some campouts, like the ones from Frugal Squirrels forums ARE TRUE family friendly campouts. My decision to not bring my family to the drugfest campout was based on seeing so many drug references on that small forum- Flsurvival/a survivalist community forum.

Honestly I think the bigger danger is not that Fred will come and "take" what he wants from people he knows, the bigger danger is with his manipulation skills. He's the kind of guy that if not "put in check" early on would become such a leech to you that eventually you would have to fight him to get him gone. You always have to wonder about folks that SAY they want to "build a community" but have NOTHING to bring to the "community." Especially when their ACTIONS clearly are NOT about community building but are ALL ABOUT control and manipulating people.

It's not hard to connect the dots- 1. He has shown little actual want to prepare. 2. Yet he has shown a want to "network" with others. 3. He has clearly shown his manipulation techniques. 4. He surrounds himself with people he can control. 5. He has sought information on those that are preparing. 6. He has set that forum up so he has total control over what goes on. I don't have a cookbook for it, but that definitely appears to be the recipe for a LOOTER.

On that same little forum, we were bashed for talking about OPSEC- i.e, not giving out too much info on yourself, where you live, etc. NOW people realize why keeping quiet about yourself, where you live and what you have is important. Be careful out there! Some folks that claim to be survivalists are little more than drug abusers looking to "take it" (supplies) from real preppers and survivalists if something happens.

RH