The Safe Side
THE SAFE SIDE NEWS
Beware, your dream job may be a scam: Key red flags to watch out for before you apply
May 03, 2025 7:02 pm
In the 24th edition of The Safe Side, we bring to you tips on how to stay safe from job scams. Through this article, experts will walk you through verifying job postings, spotting red flags, safe practices and what to do if you are scammed.
Over 25 mn devices at risk: What is FatBoyPanel, the new malware targeting Indian users?
May 02, 2025 6:16 pm
Malware can steal your data and cause financial loss in ways you might not even imagine. In the 23rd edition of The Safe Side, we explore a dangerous new malware called FatBoyPanel, how it works, and what you can do to stay protected.
When scammers use your bank account: The growing threat of mule accounts
May 02, 2025 6:16 pm
In the 21st edition of The Safe Side, we walk you through the basics of "mule accounts"—and how innocent people can unknowingly fall into fraudsters' traps by giving access to their bank accounts.
Buy now, pay later, regret forever? Alarming rise of BNPL scams in India
May 02, 2025 6:19 pm
In the 20th edition of The Safe Side, we explore a lesser-known but increasingly dangerous cyber threat—Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) scams. Here's how they work, how to spot them, and what you can do to stay safe.
P2P scams: How they can drain your money through UPI in just seconds
May 02, 2025 6:20 pm
In the 19th edition of The Safe Side, we highlight the rising trend of peer-to-peer (P2P) payment fraud. Scammers are exploiting platforms like UPI and mobile payment apps to trick users into transferring money or revealing personal details.
One call could let hackers hijack your life: How call merging scams work
May 02, 2025 6:20 pm
In the 18th edition of The Safe Side, we spotlight growing call merging scams. We'll explain how these scams operate, the red flags to spot, and steps to protect yourself.
How hackers take over WhatsApp accounts and ways to stop them
May 02, 2025 6:21 pm
This week on The Safe Side, our ongoing series aimed to keep you safe online, we dive deep into WhatsApp hacking. We break down how scammers hack into WhatsApp, why they do it, warning signs to watch for, and, most importantly, how to protect yourself.
International Women's Day 2025: Must-have gadgets and apps for women's safety
May 02, 2025 6:21 pm
With Women's Day here, in the 16th edition of The Safe Side, we're spotlighting smart, practical gadgets and apps that can make a real difference in the everyday life of women.
Smartphone lost or stolen? Top cop shares key things to do before it's too late
May 02, 2025 6:22 pm
The Safe Side, our ongoing series to help you stay safe, is back with its 15th edition, tackling phone theft. From simple ways to protect your smartphone to recognising potential threats, and taking action if the worst happens, here's everything you need to know.
Your SIM card could drain your money: A look at scams targeting phone numbers
May 02, 2025 6:22 pm
The Safe Side, our ongoing series dedicated to keeping you safe online, is back with its 14th edition. This time, we're focusing on the rising threat of SIM card scams.
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Business Standard
36 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Nayara Energy moves Delhi HC against Microsoft for suspending key services
Indian oil refining and marketing company, Nayara Energy, which is backed by Russian investment, has taken legal action against Microsoft. The company said the US-based tech firm had abruptly and unilaterally suspended essential services without any prior warning. "Microsoft is currently restricting Nayara Energy's access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products --despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licences," stated Nayara. Petition filed in Delhi HC The company has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court. It is seeking an interim injunction and immediate restoration of services to protect its rights and ensure continued access to important digital systems. According to Nayara, Microsoft did not discuss or notify the company before cutting off services. "This action has been taken unilaterally, without prior notice, consultation or recourse, and under the guise of compliance," the statement added. Sanctions lead to disruptions Nayara, which purchases large volumes of Russian oil, was recently sanctioned by the European Union. The company is mostly owned by Russian entities, including oil giant Rosneft. Although the sanctions are from the EU, Nayara claims that Microsoft -- a US-based firm -- is not legally required to enforce them under American or Indian law. Despite this, sources said Microsoft suspended Nayara's services last Tuesday. Since then, email accounts and Teams access for Nayara employees have been unavailable. Microsoft has not commented on the matter. Following the sanctions, at least two ships avoided loading refined products from Nayara's Vadinar facility. One crude tanker carrying Russian Urals was also diverted. In addition, Nayara's CEO resigned and was replaced by Sergey Denisov. Key role in India's energy sector Nayara Energy highlighted its important role in India's fuel economy. The company contributes around 8 per cent of the country's refining capacity and 7 per cent of its petrol pump network. It is also developing about 8 per cent of India's polypropylene capacity. While facing these challenges, Nayara said it remains committed to maintaining uninterrupted supply across India. Focus on domestic market and growth Operating under the motto 'In India, for India', Nayara mainly serves the domestic market through retail outlets, institutional sales, and partnerships with other oil marketing companies. The company is also investing in petrochemicals and clean energy, generating thousands of jobs. Nayara added that it complies fully with Indian regulations and continues to work closely with Indian authorities to maintain transparency and accountability.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
What is TCS' bench policy whose first 35-day cycle ended this month
Thousands of Tata Consultancy Services ( TCS ) employees are grappling with heightened job insecurity as the IT giant's controversial bench policy completed its first 35-day cycle this week, coinciding with the company's announcement of 12,000 global job cuts. The policy, implemented on June 12, caps the maximum bench period—time without project allocation—at just 35 days annually, after which employees risk career degrowth or termination. New policy limits 'bench time' to 35 days per year TCS's revised deployment policy requires employees to be billable for at least 225 business days within a 12-month period, effectively limiting bench time to a maximum of 35 business days per year. During unallocated periods, employees must spend 4-6 hours daily on upskilling through internal platforms and are required to maintain office presence, with remote work generally prohibited. The policy places primary responsibility on employees to proactively seek new assignments through the Resource Management Group (RMG). Long periods without allocation can adversely impact compensation, career growth, overseas deployment opportunities, and employment continuity, according to internal company documents. Online forums like Reddit are flooded with posts from anxious TCS employees. "This is the first step towards employment rationalisation based on utilisation. Brace for layoffs," one user wrote. A fresher claimed being pressured into support projects unrelated to their Java training within weeks of joining. Employee union calls policy 'inhumane and exploitative' The Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES) filed a complaint with the Union Labour Ministry on Wednesday, calling the policy "inhumane" and "exploitative." Based on complaints from 78 employees, NITES alleged that TCS is coercing benched employees with termination threats and denial of experience letters. "These are not non-performing employees, but skilled professionals who find themselves temporarily without allocation," said NITES president Harpreet Singh Saluja. However, some employees support the move, arguing it could help remove long-term benchers who decline projects. TCS CEO K Krithivasan defended the policy as a "structured version of what's long been in practice," emphasizing that associates must take responsibility for their careers while HR supports placement efforts. TCS announces 12,000 job cuts amid skill mismatch concerns Separately, TCS plans to cut approximately 12,000 jobs globally—around 2% of its 613,000-strong workforce—through FY26, according to a Moneycontrol report. CEO Krithivasan clarified that the layoffs stem from skill mismatches rather than AI-driven productivity gains, primarily affecting mid-to-senior level employees and some junior staff on prolonged bench time. The IT sector faces reduced demand due to macroeconomic uncertainty and AI automation of routine tasks. Industry estimates suggest 15-18% of employees at major Indian IT firms are typically on the bench. TCS reported employee costs of ₹37,715 crore in Q1, constituting 59.45% of revenue, with attrition at 13.8%. The company's strict bench policy could influence other IT firms to tighten similar policies as the industry adapts to AI-led demand for advanced skill sets, experts told ET.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
End US visa programs: Why Trump supporters want H-1B visa removed
Once again, the H-1B visa, much loved by Indian professionals, is back in the spotlight—this time, for all the wrong reasons. Amid a fresh wave of layoffs in the US tech sector, questions are mounting over why companies are continuing to hire foreign workers through the H-1B route while cutting jobs at home. After Microsoft laid off around 9,000 employees in phases earlier this year, Intel has now announced plans to slash over 25,000 jobs. The backlash has been swift. US Vice President JD Vance on Friday publicly criticised Microsoft, saying he does not buy the 'bulls**t story' that the company can't find qualified American workers. 'That displacement and that math worries me a bit,' Vance said at a bipartisan event hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum. 'We want the very best and the brightest to make America their home. But I don't want companies to fire 9,000 American workers and then to go and say, 'We can't find workers here in America.' That's a bulls**t story,' said Vance. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, a vocal critic of the H-1B system, called for an end to all employment-based visa programmes. 'We need to cut all the visa programs. If we are going to do it, let's do it hard-core and clean it up,' said Bannon on his podcast. He said foreign workers were not better educated, but tech companies wanted 'indentured servants' who would work under pressure for less money. 'The situation in Silicon Valley is a festering sore,' Bannon said, claiming that around 12 million trained IT graduates in the US are unemployed while jobs are given to visa holders. 'There is always a way to get 'Einsteins',' he said, adding that talented individuals should be encouraged to stay in their home countries and 'make them great again like they are doing in Japan'. Vance's remarks were quickly countered by an Indian-origin tech investor who accused him of misleading the public. In a post on X, the investor wrote, 'Microsoft didn't bring in new foreign workers after laying people off, they renewed visas for long-time employees who've been in the U.S. legally for many many years, stuck in green card backlogs.' He argued that companies were simply allowing employees to stay in the roles they had already earned. 'Saying that's 'replacing Americans' is like saying letting a loyal employee stay and renew his visa is the same as hiring someone new off the street,' the post said. The investor also pointed out that many of the 9,000 employees laid off were H-1B holders. 'They got no severance, no safety net, just a 60-day countdown to leave the country. If you care about fairness, fix the backlog. Don't weaponise lies.' US weighs change to H-1B selection system At the policy level, the Trump administration is reviewing changes to how H-1B visas are awarded. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a filing to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs earlier this month, proposed replacing the current lottery system with a 'weighted selection process'. The change would apply to the capped portion of the visa programme—85,000 visas per year, including 65,000 for general applicants and 20,000 for those with advanced degrees from US universities. The rule is still under review and the specifics are yet to be made public, but US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is listed as the implementing agency. 'The H-1B is the primary way through which the United States attracts high-skilled immigrants. That it is randomly allocated is insane,' said Connor O'Brien, a research analyst at the Economic Innovation Group. He added, 'Eliminating the H-1B lottery in favour of a system that prioritises higher earners first is a no-brainer... Giving away these visas randomly is an enormous, missed opportunity to attract truly scarce talent.' Federal agency warns against bias in hiring The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a warning to employers, saying that favouring foreign workers over American citizens in recruitment violates federal law. 'Unlawful bias against American workers, in violation of Title VII, is a large-scale problem in multiple industries nationwide,' said EEOC acting chair Andrea Lucas on February 19, 2025. She alleged that some companies had policies that preferred illegal aliens, migrant workers, and visa holders over American workers. 'The law applies to you, and you are not above the law,' she said. 'The EEOC is here to protect all workers from unlawful national origin discrimination, including American workers.' The agency outlined common reasons for such practices: * Lower wage costs through loopholes or off-the-books payments * Assumptions that foreign workers are less likely to raise complaints * Client preferences for foreign workers * Perceptions that foreign workers have a stronger work ethic Counterview: H-1B workers are well-paid and boost US economy The American Immigration Council disputes the notion that H-1B workers harm domestic employment. Its research shows that in 2021, H-1B holders had a median salary of 108,000, more than double the national average of 45,760. Between 2003 and 2021, their median wage rose by 52 per cent, compared to 39 per cent for the general workforce. 'The US economy relies on H-1B visas to address skilled labour shortages, particularly in technology, engineering, and healthcare, where domestic supply is insufficient,' Jidesh Kumar, managing partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, told Business Standard. 'Tech giants and startups alike depend on H-1B professionals for cutting-edge research and product development. Many also go on to become entrepreneurs, creating jobs and boosting the economy.' Kumar warned that tightening the programme could drive global talent to other destinations. 'Restricting the programme could force top global talent to seek opportunities in countries like Canada or the UK, potentially undermining the US's position as a leader in innovation and economic growth,' he said. Indian applicants dominate H-1B pool In the 2023 financial year, about 191,000 Indian professionals were granted H-1B visas. The number rose to approximately 207,000 in FY 2024. Despite this, over one million Indians remain stuck in the employment-based green card backlog due to country-specific quotas and annual limits, according to USCIS data. For FY 2026, USCIS selected 120,141 H-1B registrations—a sharp drop from previous years and the lowest since 2021. Analysts have linked this to increased scrutiny of multiple registrations and a hike in the application fee.
