The Honest Lens: Tech, Cyber, Money & Travel by an Ex-CTO
Call Forwarding Scam in India: Never Dial a Code That Starts With *
Today a “courier company” called me, and within minutes I was looking at a call forwarding scam India’s cybercrime authorities have been warning about. The caller said his delivery boy…
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WhatsApp Bank Alert Scam: Why You Should Never Reply NO
I have spent three decades in technology, and the scams that worry me most need no technical skill at all. The WhatsApp…
Fake Electricity Bill APK and .mobileconfig Scams in India: How to Spot, Remove and Report
Fake electricity bill messages push an APK file on Android and a configuration profile on iPhone. Here is how the scam works,…
Old Coin Buyer Scam in India: How ‘Rare ₹1 Note’ Offers Steal Your KYC
Ads promising lakhs for old ₹1 notes and coins are used to collect your Aadhaar, PAN and bank details. Here is how…
Why a SIM Card Lock Is Your Phone’s Most Overlooked Security Shield
A SIM card lock stops a thief from using your number for OTPs after a phone theft. Here is how to set…
Yerevan to Tatev: Khndzoresk, Wings of Tatev and the 3,000-Dram Car That Saved My Knees
A 15-hour Tatev day trip from Yerevan with Khndzoresk caves, Tatev Monastery and the Wings of Tatev ropeway, plus the 3,000-dram car…
Why I Flew From Baku to Tbilisi Instead of Crossing the Border
I took the Baku to Tbilisi flight instead of the land border. Here is what my research found about the crossing, what…
Travel
All travel posts →Why I Flew From Baku to Tbilisi Instead of Crossing the Border
I took the Baku to Tbilisi flight instead of the land border. Here is what my research found about the crossing, what…
Yerevan to Tatev: Khndzoresk, Wings of Tatev and the 3,000-Dram Car That Saved My Knees
A 15-hour Tatev day trip from Yerevan with Khndzoresk caves, Tatev Monastery and the Wings of Tatev ropeway, plus the 3,000-dram car…
Indian Vegetarian in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey: What I Actually Ate
What an Indian vegetarian who eats eggs actually ate across Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey, dish by dish, with prices where I…
Money
View all →Retire Sooner? Your Quick Guide to Early Retirement in India!
Most people serious about early retirement in India start thinking about it in their 40s or…
Geo-Arbitrage: Turbocharge your FIRE in India
Most people trying to hit FIRE in their 40s or 50s focus entirely on earning more.…
Mutual Funds India: Your Path to Wealth
Most people keep money in a savings account well past the point it makes sense, because…
Technology
View all →Build vs. Buy: The Million-Dollar Software Question for Indian Businesses
I’ve sat on both sides of the build vs. buy decision as a CTO — greenlighting…
AI in the Indian Boardroom: Navigating the Future of Business Growth
I’ve sat in board meetings where AI comes up as a mandate before anyone can say…
Navigating the DPDP Act: A CEO’s Guide to Personal Data Protection in India
Most CEOs treat the DPDP Act as a legal-team problem to be briefed on once and…
Growth
View all →Bad Bosses as Teachers: Turning Experiences Into Growth
Some of the most useful lessons I’ve had came from a manager I actively dreaded reporting…
Tech Career India: Beat the Promotion Trap with Strategic Lateral Moves
In Indian IT, “promotion” is treated like a mantra — climb every year or fall behind.…
Beyond the Paycheck: Reclaiming Your Identity Outside of Work
When I stepped away from my CTO role, the hardest question wasn’t strategy or money —…
Cyber: scams and how to stay safe
All cyber posts →
Call Forwarding Scam in India: Never Dial a Code That Starts With *
Today a “courier company” called me, and within minutes I was looking at a call forwarding scam India’s cybercrime authorities have been…
WhatsApp Bank Alert Scam: Why You Should Never Reply NO
I have spent three decades in technology, and the scams that worry me most need no technical skill at all. The WhatsApp…
Fake Electricity Bill APK and .mobileconfig Scams in India: How to Spot, Remove and Report
Fake electricity bill messages push an APK file on Android and a configuration profile on iPhone. Here is how the scam works,…
Test your scam instincts in 3 minutes
BeCyberSmart.in is a free daily scam-awareness quiz for Indian families, in English, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil.