Predatory Publishing: Evolving Threats in Academic Publishing

The term ‘predatory publishing’ refers to journals or conferences that look legitimate but exist primarily to make money rather than uphold academic standards. These exploitative practices continue to be one of the most pressing problems in scholarly communication. Threats are now more sophisticated, harder to detect and increasingly difficult to combat—posing serious challenges for researchers.

AI-enabled sophistication
Predatory publishers are now using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to target researchers with highly personalised messages. Instead of generic spam, they can craft convincing invitations, fabricate realistic editorial boards and even mimic the websites of reputable journals. Some even generate fake peer review letters using AI, creating the illusion of credibility. These tactics make it harder than ever to distinguish legitimate publishers from deceptive ones.

Journal hijacking and rebranding
Some predatory operations acquire or mirror legitimate journals—sometimes called ‘journal hijacking’—then change editorial practices, raise fees and reduce quality, while still relying on the reputation of the original title to attract authors. This process relies on the former reputation of the journal to mislead potential authors. Researchers may unknowingly submit work to what they think is a respected journal, only to discover it no longer adheres to scholarly norms.

Deceptive conferences
Predatory conferences are organised primarily for profit, often offering little academic value. They frequently mimic the names and branding of well-established conferences, send mass email invitations and charge high fees for attendance or presentation. Researchers may arrive to find disorganised sessions, irrelevant presentations or even empty rooms. These events may list fake keynote speakers or falsely claim affiliation with reputable institutions.

Paper mills, review mills and citation mills
The rise of paper mills—organisations that produce low-quality or fake academic papers—further complicates the publishing landscape. These entities may sell pre-written papers (often AI-generated) and offer authorship slots for a fee. Meanwhile, review mills fabricate or manipulate the peer review process to approve substandard or plagiarised work. Citation mills artificially inflate citation counts and impact metrics by creating networks of interconnected, low-quality articles that repeatedly cite each other.

Manipulative special issues
Some predatory publishers aggressively promote special issues to attract content. They may lure respected or unaware academics into acting as guest editors, sometimes even listing well-known researchers as editors without their consent. These issues often have low review standards and are used to quickly publish large volumes of papers—boosting profits while undermining quality.

How can I avoid predatory publishing?

Vet journals thoroughly: Use trusted resources like Think. Check. Submit. Check if the journal is listed in Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory or other directories such as the Directory of Open Access Journals. Verify indexing status directly on databases like Scopus or Web of Science.

Scrutinise special issue invitations: Verify the credentials of guest editors and assess the legitimacy of the publisher before agreeing to contribute.

Be wary of unsolicited emails: Legitimate journals rarely send aggressive or generic email invitations. Be cautious if you receive flattering, urgent or off-topic calls for papers.

Check the peer review process: Legitimate journals outline their peer review process clearly, with realistic timelines. Be sceptical of journals promising near-instant publication.

Understand Article Processing Charges (APCs): Legitimate journals disclose APCs upfront. Avoid journals that hide fees or pressure you for payment after acceptance.

Ask for help: If you’re unsure whether a journal or conference is legitimate, contact the Library. Librarians can help you assess the publisher’s credibility.