A sophisticated new journal hijacking scam is targeting major academic publishers, including Elsevier and Springer Nature, exposing researchers to fraudulent publishing schemes. This development represents a significant evolution from past scams, which primarily focused on lesser-known, niche journals.
What’s Happening?
The fraudulent entity, operating under the name “Springer Global Publication,” has created highly convincing cloned websites mimicking legitimate journals from Elsevier, Springer, and other well-known publishers. These clones replicate the design and functionality of original websites, even mimicking pop-ups for cookie policies, making them difficult to detect.
Key Features of the Scam:
- Fake Domains: The fraudulent sites use slightly altered domain names, such as “sciencedirects.com” instead of “sciencedirect.com.”
- Counterfeit DOIs: Articles on these websites are assigned fake Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) with a unique prefix (10.70706) not associated with legitimate publishers.
- Unauthorized Services: The scammer advertises services such as manuscript editing, peer review management, and even ghostwriting—hallmarks of predatory “paper mills.”
- Recycled Content: Many published articles appear plagiarized or recycled from other sources.
Affected Journals:
At least 13 journals, including high-profile titles like Ophthalmology, Fuel, and Educational Technology Research and Development, have been cloned. Three additional fake journals—unregistered with Crossref—have also been linked to the scam.
Responses from Stakeholders:
Major publishers, including Elsevier and Springer Nature, are pursuing legal actions to shut down these fraudulent operations. Crossref has committed to investigating the fake DOIs and taking appropriate action.
Implications for Researchers:
This scam is particularly dangerous due to its high-quality fraudulent websites, which can deceive even seasoned academics. Researchers are advised to carefully verify journal domains and publisher affiliations before submitting their work or engaging with journal services.
Takeaway:
This alarming trend underscores the need for vigilance in scholarly publishing. Researchers should remain cautious, ensure the legitimacy of journals and websites before submission, and report suspicious activities to publishers and indexing organizations.
By raising awareness, the academic community can combat this growing threat to research integrity.