Become a KGB Special Agent: Text Message 411 Service
Here’s another find for the Bored Money category, which are ways to earn some money on the side that aren’t really high-paying on a per-hour basis, but aren’t bad if you’re just bored.
KGB, short for Knowledge Generation Bureau, is a “text-message-based information service”. You text any question to KGBKGB (542542), and for 99 cents they’ll answer you via text message. I’m not exactly sure why people would use this instead of the free ChaCha service, but perhaps they have better quality standards. Time.com tried it out and shared some unedited questions and answers.
Anyhow, KGB hires people working at home (or slacking at work…) to answer these texts as 1099 independent contractors. You get paid 10 cents for each answer you research yourself, and 5 cents for each “validation” answer where you simply double-check an automated response pulled from their database. You must work a minimum average of 6 hours per week. Reportedly, they are looking for people to fill the late-night shifts.
To apply, you have to pass a Special Agents Challenge test first, which is kind of fun but the main challenge is how fast you can type and use Google (though I guess that’s really the point of the job). I couldn’t pass up a trivia quiz, but didn’t feel like completing the application since 6 hours a week is too much of a commitment for me. This would fit someone who either loves to surf the web anyway, wants some extra cash, and doesn’t mind making probably a bit below minimum wage in exchange for very flexible hours and zero commute.
Find more in Bored Money | 5/1/09, 2:31am | Trackback
May 1st, 2009 at 3:17 am
Those questions and answers Time did was hilarious. Doesn’t seem like too much of a valuable service though….and 6 hours is way too much commitment.
Oh and what’s ChaCha Jonathan? How is it free and have you had good experience using it?
May 1st, 2009 at 4:25 am
I used to be a ChaCha guide, it was fun but I think I averaged around $2 an hour or something ridiculous like that. The problem I found with these services is that the answer people are just trying to turn over questions and make more money so they don’t provide good answers. That is why I was making so little because I wanted to give good answers. If you haven’t tried out ChaCha it is good in a pinch but they will text you an ad when you ask the question and an ad with the reply.
May 1st, 2009 at 11:36 am
Reminds me a lot of Aardvark:
http://vark.com/
But here you don’t get paid =)
But the provided service is similar
May 1st, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Agreed with Eric, it’s just too much of a time commitment. This reminds me of a homework site I decided to work for. Basically you give answers to student questions and get paid for every time someone reads your advice and uses it. Problem was, kids just used it and never paid. I helped about 4 students on their essays, and none ever repped me for payment so I quit.
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 am
I work as an indy contractor right now. That just sounds like an annoying way of wasting time.
May 17th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I work as a ChaCha guide now… i don’t make too much money, but it’s nice to do as i just had a baby 3 weeks ago. it at least makes my husband get off my back about going back to work so soon haha.
i’ve averaged about $100, paid a few cell phone bills with it and such. I might try going out for the KGB job if i can pass the damn challenge haha. =]
June 5th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I think that ChaCha sucks..I used to work for them a couple of months ago as an “Expeditor”..The few cents per question was SO not worth it..honestly. I am now working for kgb_and 5-10 cents is RICH compared to ChaCha! LOL (yea right) But I like kgb_MUCH better than ChaCha.It’s definitely not even a part-time job, more like a quarter part-time job if there is such a thing! Besides I’m not about to spend hours upon hours on the computer and work 4 hrs for $2.50..if your lucky! I do have something called a “life” and it does not involve spending most of it on my computer working for kgb_ OR chacha!
July 13th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I dont know what you guys are talking about! I work for kgb and am not rich but am making an okay amount of money. I work in my spare time and make over $500 every month! Its not that hard.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
We’ll see..about to start this endeavor myself. Need to do the 15 question simulation before I start. I did ChaCha a while too..they were a MESS…at least kgb takes a serious amount of time for training, as far as at home self contracted type work goes. The questions in the quizzes weren’t hard, but at least they made you pay attention.
August 20th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I work for KGB right now and I have made over $100 this week alone. May not be much, but as a stay at home mom/student midwife, a few hundred extra a month is worth it for jumping on the internet a couple hours a day. Most people spend a lot of time surfing and don’t get paid for it. ChaCha is free, but they don’t have any standard as far as what they will and won’t answer for liability purposes. Abusive questions,racial jokes, and others are not answered by kgb, instead they are sent an automatic response that we choose not to answer. ChaCha will give you step by step instructions on how to make a bomb if you want to know! So, there are good and bad to both I suppose.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I see KGB has not taught their Guides how to research properly before they answer.
ChaCha does tell their Guides and Expediters to hit Abuse on racist or abusive comments/questions. Not everyone does it, even though its in the training video, and I know people on KGB slack on the rules. Those people at ChaCha get QCed just like, I’m sure, KGB does. Research, does a body good.