Woman Says Being a “Professional Gossip” Helped Her Buy Two Homes
COLOMBIA – A 67-year-old woman has gone viral after claiming she earned enough money as a “professional gossip” to buy two houses.
Identified only as Myriam, she is reportedly from Armenia, QuindÃo, and has spent years collecting and selling information about the personal lives of people in her community. According to a report by the Polish media outlet Nexta, her income depends on how valuable or sensitive the information is. Ordinary neighborhood gossip reportedly earns her between 5,000 and 10,000 Colombian pesos, while more controversial stories are sold for higher prices.
Myriam reportedly starts each morning by sitting outside her home with a notebook, where she writes down conversations and observations from people in the neighborhood. She also keeps photos and relationship charts to track family connections, friendships, disputes, and other personal matters. Much of the information she gathers involves family conflicts, relationship problems, and disagreements between neighbors. She also claimed that some people pay her to keep certain information private. In one case, she reportedly received 700,000 Colombian pesos to remain silent about a sensitive issue.
She said the income from this unusual activity allowed her to purchase two houses over the years. Her story quickly spread across social media and drew mixed reactions from the public. Many people were surprised that someone could earn a living by selling gossip, while others criticized the practice for invading people’s privacy and exposing personal information for profit.
Some online users also argued that accepting money to keep sensitive information secret could be considered a form of extortion in certain countries. The viral story has sparked discussions about privacy, ethics, and the legal consequences of making money from confidential information, with many questioning whether such a practice should ever be considered an acceptable source of income.