Getting Duped and Infosys

Now don't be surprised !! I am indeed talking of arguably most ethical company in India Inc - Bangalore HeadQuartered Infosys Technologies Ltd- And you read the word Dupe also rightly. So how come I am using the word "dupe" and swanky clean imaged Infosys in the same sentence or phrase. Well, blame it on the marketing team of the Infosys, which has created a cult brand among Indians so much so that to the Common lay man "Software"/IT" is synonmous with Infosys.

And so whenever layman( read the non IT related guys like the Autowallahs, Thieves,robbers ) wants to have anything to do with Software, what does he do ? He uses the Infosys brand name. Not convinced ?? Read on...... Yesterday one of Colleague's apartment in HSR Layout ( a decently posh locality with lots of IT guys especially from Infosys/Wipro) had two strange visitors. Two guys wearing Tie and formal trousers( aka Infy employee uniform on Monday/tuesday) knocked on his door. They had a Piece of paper with them. The paper apparently was a Xerox copy of an Infosys Id card. They asked my Colleague if anybody of the name as in the Id card stays at his place/apartment complex.

Now my colleague busy with other chores simply says no the two people and inadvertently forgets to close the door leaving it half open. Half an hour later, my friend is frantically searching for his Mobile phone and watch. Any guesses on where his mobile/watch went ??? Turns out the two white Shirt/Black Tie guys visited 8 houses in the entire Apartment complex but got lucky with my colleague.

If this story does not convince you about Infosys, here is another one, this one in Chennai's Adyar( Another IT locality much like HSR, Koramangala in Bangalore) . A man stops an Infosys employee who has just alighted from the Infy bus and is headed home. The man tells the infosys guy that he is an Infosys Employee ( mind you plain rock solid English) and that he has just been transferred from Bangalore to Chennai . But apparently someone has stolen his baggage ( Of course the Infosys ID is in the Baggage he claims) and that he has lost his wallet/money/everything. The man demands money from Infy person and says he will return it once he joins Chennai Office the next day. He even gives his mobile number and Extn of his reporting manager( fake of course ) in Chennai Office Any guesses if the gullible Infy guy got his money back ?

So seems like the thugs can't leave even anyone including the icon of India's economic progress alone and want to use it's name to cheat the poor gullible people.
Afterall, all is not fair in the big bad world !!