8d • Publishing
Beware of predatory journals
I got an email at 2:30 AM.
"Dear Researcher, submit to our Scopus indexed journal."
I deleted it this morning.
Here's how I knew it was a trap:
1. The reply address was Gmail.
Not a publisher domain. Not a journal domain.
Gmail. Anyone can create one.
2. The greeting said "Dear Researcher."
Not my name. Not my field. Not my work.
3. The "February issue" email arrived in late February.
No real peer review happens in 48 hours.
4. And every journal listed?
Drug delivery. Agriculture. Law.
Nothing close to my research.
These emails don't want your science.
They want your submission fee.
So before I submit anywhere, I run this check:
→ Verify indexing inside the database — not in their email
→ Check if the journal was discontinued
→ Look for real editorial board names and affiliations
→ Confirm peer review has an honest timeline
→ Make sure the scope matches my actual work
If even one answer is "I'm not sure" — I don't submit.
Your research took months or even years to produce.
Don't let an email from predatory journal decide where it lives.
P.S. Think. Check. Submit is a free checklist. Use it before every submission. It takes 10 minutes and protects your entire career.
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Beware of predatory journals
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