Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and it’s time once again to tuck in for another batch of must-read articles.
This week’s selection runs the gamut from avoiding online holiday shopping scams to preparing for a common deadly disaster that could strike anytime you leave the house.
Let’s take a look.
1. Online Holiday Shopping Scams to Watch out For
Now that Thanksgiving has passed, holiday shopping has kicked off in earnest and cyberthieves are ready.
This short piece offers five quick tips to help you keep your information secure when shopping online. Be sure to watch the accompanying video as well — it explains what to look for when downloading a retail app to your smartphone so you don’t get fooled by a fake program.
Also, if you haven’t put a freeze on your credit with each of the three main credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), I strongly recommend doing so now — before you start punching your credit card number in all over the internet.
2. Protect Yourself From This Deadly Disaster That Affects 32 Million Americans
Every year, an alarming number of Americans die from a very preventable tragedy…
More than one out of every seven licensed drivers will become stranded on the road, which means it’s almost certain you or your spouse, your child, your sibling, your parents or a close friend will get stuck at some point in the next 12 months — and these dangerous odds increase when the weather turns wintry and driving conditions are more hazardous.
If you aren’t prepared for something like this to happen to you, you may not make it home alive. Luckily for you, I’d like to help you and your family prepare in one simple step. It’s the same simple step I took during my time at the CIA, and it’s the same simple thing I do to protect my family today.
Click on the link above to find out the most important thing you can do right now to protect your family from a tragic fate.
3. Mount Agung: Bali Volcano Alert Raised to Highest Level
About a month ago, I briefly talked about the possibility of a mega-eruption in Yellowstone. Even though that might happen sooner than we think, it still won’t likely happen anytime in the near future.
Mount Agung, on the other hand, on the Indonesian island of Bali, is much closer to blowing its top. As of yesterday, 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate and the island’s airport has been shut down.
You’re probably thinking, Why should I be worried? I don’t live in Indonesia.
Volcanic eruptions don’t just affect the immediate area. Ash could be carried for hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles, burying buildings, smothering crops and shutting down power plants. The ripple effect could easily bring trouble to our shores, and you better be ready if it does.
4. You’re Likely a Lot Less Prepared for a Crisis Than You Realize
This piece, published by Peak Prosperity in September, discusses why you’re probably not nearly as prepared for a disaster as you think you are. In fact, it amazes me how many people don’t even have the basics (emergency food and water) covered.
As I’ve said before, the best time to prepare is BEFORE an emergency occurs. Take a look at some of the advice offered here by Peak Prosperity readers and start getting your house in order.
Also, take note of the financial warning at the end. It’s not just hurricanes and power outages you need to prepare for… Post author Chris Martenson asserts that (thanks to the Federal Reserve’s meddling) the markets “are in bubble land and are now in search of a pin.”
Click on the article above for a serious wake-up call.
5. Keeping Warm — Winter Prep List for You and Your Home
Here’s another great article with several ways to help you stay warm this winter. Unlike other articles that focus on winterizing your home and vehicles and what emergency supplies to stock, this post from Common Sense Homesteading also addresses clothing and bedding to keep you toasty.
Check out their recommendations — including the four layers of winter clothing everyone should know and how to avoid frigid feet in bed — and get ready to bundle up, because, baby, it’s cold outside.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
