Beware of unsolicited letters offering to buy your shares without brokerage fee. The offer price could be much lower than the actual market price. Check out the newspaper or with your broker how much they are worth.

David Tweed of National Exchange has been sending out letters to unsuspecting elderly folks to buy their shares at a deep discount to the real value.

Through business names such as the National Exchange, Direct Share Purchasing Corp and Country Estate & Agency, Mr Tweed targets companies with elderly or inexperienced investors, such as the demutualised insurers Axa Asia Pacific, AMP and IAG. He offered to buy AMP shares at $7.50 when the share price at that time was $11.53.
 
He has also offered $1 a share to holders of stock in IOOF Australia, which was not listed at that time but has been actuarially valued at $2.70 a share.

What To Do: Do not sign anything without consulting with your broker or financial consultant.

The secretive life of a market opportunist
http://theage.com.au/articles/2002/11/08/1036308482798.html

Government promises to restrict Tweed
http://smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/03/1038712936386.html

Buy-on-the-cheap trader stays in business
http://theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/06/1051987702629.html

Tweed attempts to lure Pivot investors
http://theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/08/1052280378748.html