The pitfalls of publishing - scholarly journal hijacking on the rise

15.01.2025

Hijacked or cloned journals are fake websites that imitate legitimate academic publishers. These scams use the names, ISSNs, and other details of real scholarly journals to trick researchers. The goal is to take advantage of the original journal's reputation, convincing researchers to submit their articles and pay article processing charges (APC) to the fraudulent publisher.

In the past, it was relatively easy to spot these fake journals, as their websites were noticeably different from the genuine ones. However, the problem has escalated, with even major publishers falling victim.

For example, in late 2024, fraudsters created fake websites mimicking those of Elsevier and Springer Nature. These sites looked nearly identical to the legitimate ones. A company called "Springer Global Publication" has been linked to many such scams. Both Elsevier and Springer Nature have stated they are addressing the issue seriously and are pursuing legal action to shut down these scam sites.

How to identify a hijacked journal?

Detecting a hijacked journal can be challenging because fake websites are often convincing copies of real ones. However, you can take these steps to verify a journal's authenticity:

  • Check the web address (URL): Look closely at the journal's web address. Fraudulent sites may have minor differences, like a single letter change or a different domain name.
  • Use trusted portals: The JUFO portal provides direct links to legitimate journal websites, making it a reliable resource.
  • Verify DOIs: Check if the DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers) in the journal's articles follow the standard format (starting with "10.").
  • Compare website design: Examine the journal's homepage. Does it match the style and layout of other journals from the same publisher?
  • Check a hijacked journal database: Tools like the Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker can help you confirm whether a journal has been cloned.

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Created 15.01.2025 | Updated 15.01.2025