These people replied positively to offers made by investment management companies, investment brokers / dealers, and offshore investment banking firms. The offers were in the form of free copies of financial advisory newsletters intended to give readers updated information on: how to find opportunities in the midst of a financial crisis; how to find companies poised for rapid growth in the next wave of technological advances; how to pick growth stocks at cyclical booms; how to manage exposure in certain regions in order to benefit the most during its recovery phase; how to select the right investment in the world's stable and secure markets.