How do I find a ghostwriter?

I was walking from the church to the train station in Lund Sunday evening, when a group of three people turned onto the street and were walking beside me. They were speaking loudly in German, sure that no one could understand them speaking this minor language.

"I am not making progress on my thesis," one woman says. "I really need help. I wonder how I can get a ghostwriter here."

I perked up at that word, and looked over at them. They were deep in conversation.

"I mean, I'll write the thesis, but I need someone to look up some stuff in the library, do the statistical work and stuff like that."

I stopped, took a deep breath, planning on saying something. They turned off down towards the Espresso House, I needed to go straight and would have to wait 45 minutes for the next train if I missed this one.

I did not chase after them.

But if people are speaking about ghostwriting in the streets, how common is it?