The best predatorial journal come-ons

[secundem_artem]

Here's a different spin on this thread.  The names are changed to protect the guilty.

Dear Professor Artem
How are you? Do you remember me? You are the academic editor of my paper(Clog Dancing in Meiji Period Japan published in International Clogging Monthly). Thank you for your guidance and support.

I am currently working on my PhD on the effects of Clog Dancing on the voting preferences of chronic alcoholics . I published a systematic review and meta-analysis in Clogging for Drunkards. I also submitted my PhD work to the The Daily Clogger journal. They accepted my paper for publication but requested a publication fee of $494.25. We are unable to send money outside Spotsylvania due to the country's current banking system. Thus, we are in serious trouble. Due to the payment issue, my PhD work will be delayed. I understand that you have a busy schedule.

Would you help to publish my article?

I'm happy to send a polite "sorry, no can do" but holy crap, does this request actually sound reasonable to anyone?  It's not as if I am swimming in funding and given Artem U's current financial status, I doubt they would let me use if for this anyway.

[Puget]

Here's a different spin on this thread.  The names are changed to protect the guilty.

Dear Professor Artem
How are you? Do you remember me? You are the academic editor of my paper(Clog Dancing in Meiji Period Japan published in International Clogging Monthly). Thank you for your guidance and support.

I am currently working on my PhD on the effects of Clog Dancing on the voting preferences of chronic alcoholics . I published a systematic review and meta-analysis in Clogging for Drunkards. I also submitted my PhD work to the The Daily Clogger journal. They accepted my paper for publication but requested a publication fee of $494.25. We are unable to send money outside Spotsylvania due to the country's current banking system. Thus, we are in serious trouble. Due to the payment issue, my PhD work will be delayed. I understand that you have a busy schedule.

Would you help to publish my article?

I'm happy to send a polite "sorry, no can do" but holy crap, does this request actually sound reasonable to anyone?  It's not as if I am swimming in funding and given Artem U's current financial status, I doubt they would let me use if for this anyway.

This sounds extremely shady- Yes, pub fees can be a big barrier, but they would have known about the publication fee before submitting, and could have submitted to a journal without fees, or a  legit OA journal that offers discounted rates to those in developing countries. At any rate, it is really weird to ask someone who isn't an author or even someone they really know to pay. 

[Wahoo Redux]

Here's a different spin on this thread.  The names are changed to protect the guilty.

Dear Professor Artem
How are you? Do you remember me? You are the academic editor of my paper(Clog Dancing in Meiji Period Japan published in International Clogging Monthly). Thank you for your guidance and support.

I am currently working on my PhD on the effects of Clog Dancing on the voting preferences of chronic alcoholics . I published a systematic review and meta-analysis in Clogging for Drunkards. I also submitted my PhD work to the The Daily Clogger journal. They accepted my paper for publication but requested a publication fee of $494.25. We are unable to send money outside Spotsylvania due to the country's current banking system. Thus, we are in serious trouble. Due to the payment issue, my PhD work will be delayed. I understand that you have a busy schedule.

Would you help to publish my article?

I'm happy to send a polite "sorry, no can do" but holy crap, does this request actually sound reasonable to anyone?  It's not as if I am swimming in funding and given Artem U's current financial status, I doubt they would let me use if for this anyway.

This sounds extremely shady- Yes, pub fees can be a big barrier, but they would have known about the publication fee before submitting, and could have submitted to a journal without fees, or a  legit OA journal that offers discounted rates to those in developing countries. At any rate, it is really weird to ask someone who isn't an author or even someone they really know to pay. 

I'm assuming you know this candidate personally? Have you made sure that the candidate in the email actually sent the email?  It seems like the sort of ridiculous sob stories one finds in your Spam folder from Nigerian princes and the like.  They don't actually want the amount they ask for; they want your various numbers and identifiers.  These have become a little more sophisticated since the days of the poor Nigerian prince.

[Hibush]

I got a Nigerian prince email the other day. Blast from the past! It had a warm familiarity, until I hit the Report Phishing button.

[secundem_artem]

Just got a verbose and rather polished if ponderous solicitation from Research Outreach.org.

They even used the name of my most recently published paper in the subject line, and for a second I was excited because I thought a real editor or academic was soliciting something for an anthology or special edition.

But nope.

Apparently Research Outreach is "so passionate about open access" to the general public that they "must charge researchers" for their work.

Website is also polished if ponderous.  Wonder if it has any connection to the Oxford Round Table?

Bumping this one up.  Has anybody got any updated experience with this organization?  Certainly they have a much more polished and professional approach than the ones that spell my name wrong, mis-identify my discipline, want to discuss my distinguished research, and request a submission for their next publication coming out in 4 days.

These guys appear to be taking legitimate publications and re-packaging them for a non-academic audience.  I'm not sure how important or relevant that is - or what it costs.

So... wise ones.  Any updates?

[sinenomine]

Just got a verbose and rather polished if ponderous solicitation from Research Outreach.org.

They even used the name of my most recently published paper in the subject line, and for a second I was excited because I thought a real editor or academic was soliciting something for an anthology or special edition.

But nope.

Apparently Research Outreach is "so passionate about open access" to the general public that they "must charge researchers" for their work.

Website is also polished if ponderous.  Wonder if it has any connection to the Oxford Round Table?

Bumping this one up.  Has anybody got any updated experience with this organization?  Certainly they have a much more polished and professional approach than the ones that spell my name wrong, mis-identify my discipline, want to discuss my distinguished research, and request a submission for their next publication coming out in 4 days.

These guys appear to be taking legitimate publications and re-packaging them for a non-academic audience.  I'm not sure how important or relevant that is - or what it costs.

So... wise ones.  Any updates?

This seems similar to Kudos, but looks like it always charges contributors. This study sees some value in Kudos for increasing views.

[apl68]

"Clog Dancing in Meiji Japan" sounds like something the late mamselle would have been up for discussing.  I can just see her posting links to YouTube videos.

[secundem_artem]

Received today:

Dear Dr. Secundem P Artem,
I hope you are doing good!

I am hither to update you that we are in processing of upcoming issue release, and we are captivated to publish your manuscript in it. We are requesting you to send your latest unpublished article.

I belief in you that your article gives supreme attainment to our Journal.

Will be waiting to have your response.

Somebody with a Laptop and Website
Managing Editor
Online Journal Some Discipline that I am not Involved With

On the bright side, at least somebody believes in me.

[secundem_artem]

Got another one. Very professionally worded.  Solid website, journal actually exists, and has existed for a number of years.  Not a total scam but......

The editor sent numerous requests for an upcoming theme issue and I have an interest in the topic.  So I snooped around a bit.

Emailed the editor back and declined saying the journal is not indexed in Medline and I don't have funding for the page charges.

He replied back with "I understand" and the last line in his sig was a link to article from the journal in Pub Med. 

Looking at the Pub Med site, it notes the journal is not indexed, but that the database does contain instances were articles from it were cited in other studies and those articles ARE listed in Pub Med.

Sneaky sneaky.  These guys are getting smarter.  I think it's legit, but it's a touch misleading way to bump up publications and charges.

[bio-nonymous]

Typical email solicitation coming in multiple times a day:

"Dear Dr. 'Bio-Nonymous '[ed: actually was "Last name, first name"],

I am 'Someone', Managing Editor of 'Random Acronym' Journal. We are planning an upcoming issue on 'Random Name' Online Journal of Sciences, Astrophysics, and related branches of it. So, could you help us by suggesting a few topics and kindly do let us know if you can participate in this issue with any of your unpublished short articles.

Submission deadline: On or before April 05, 2024.

Will be waiting to have your response.

'Someone
Somewhere' "

I am a biomedical researcher, why would I have an astrophysics article sitting around waiting for this opportunity?

[Liquidambar]

I am a biomedical researcher, why would I have an astrophysics article sitting around waiting for this opportunity?

Don't we all have astrophysics articles waiting around for such opportunities?

[bio-nonymous]

A classic:

"Dear Professor,

Hope this email finds you well.

On behalf of our Team, we take great pleasure in inviting you for the grand release of April edition, we all need is your support by submitting your eminent research work related to {ACRONYM} journal.

However, as we are inviting you to submit the manuscript for this issue, we are happy to provide the special waiver for your manuscript and we request you to make the minimum contribution of $999 instead of $2579/$1879.

We are well acquainted with your excellent work, so we would be honored to have your presence at this auspicious event and look forward to your favorable comeback.

Please acknowledge this email within 24hrs.

Anticipating with strong desire.

Regards,
{Some one}
American Journal of {this and That}
Email: {unrelated}[at]{something}[dot]com "

It is a journal issue or an "event"? Someone got mixed up...

[Wahoo Redux]

Not a predatorial journal per se, but this was just kind of funny.

Even though I no longer work for my old uni, I still have access to all their pages and apps.  Someone just neglected to push the "off" button on me.  Since I am trying to register for some grad classes, I checked my email and got this email from one of those on-demand, personalized textbook publishers.  It was just, well, odd how the frustration bled through.

Subject Line: "Last Email From Me For a While, I Promise!"

Dear Wahoo,

As the subject line says, this will be my last effort to get in touch with you! Similar to dating, it takes two interested parties for it to work :).

Are you open to having a conversation on course materials?

If you aren't interested, please let me know and I'll move on with my efforts.

Thanks, Wahoo! Wishing you all the best!

Sincerely,
Camryn

I feel like this is one of those online dating stalkers (I mean, I've never had that happen to me, just supposing...).  Or is this a badly designed ploy to get a reaction?

I'm gonna continue to ghost Camryn just to see what happens.

[Myword]

Got another one. Very professionally worded.  Solid website, journal actually exists, and has existed for a number of years.  Not a total scam but......

The editor sent numerous requests for an upcoming theme issue and I have an interest in the topic.  So I snooped around a bit.

Emailed the editor back and declined saying the journal is not indexed in Medline and I don't have funding for the page charges.

He replied back with "I understand" and the last line in his sig was a link to article from the journal in Pub Med. 

Looking at the Pub Med site, it notes the journal is not indexed, but that the database does contain instances were articles from it were cited in other studies and those articles ARE listed in Pub Med.

Sneaky sneaky.  These guys are getting smarter.  I think it's legit, but it's a touch misleading way to bump up publications and charges.

I see nothing wrong here. Some writers will take advantage of this. But it is not for you.

[bio-nonymous]

So I finally snapped and replied to one of these annoying editors:

"Hi ____,

I don't want to be callous, but I receive innumerable emails of the type you sent me and do not have time to reply to them all. Most go directly to my spam folder and then into the delete pile.

 I do not have anything to submit to your journal right now—we are a basic science lab and do not fit your journal anyway, which you should have known prior to soliciting me. I understand that your job is to spam out emails to everyone, but in that case you shouldn't expect replies.

I made an exception in this case.

Sorry!

Have a nice day.

[Dr. Bio-nonymous]

 



Original follow-up to deleted span email:



"Hi Dr. [Bio-nonymous],      

Hope you are doing well. I understand your busy schedule and work commitments didn't permit you to respond to my earlier email.

We have very limited time, so please consider my humble request and try to provide your article submission by the end of this month. We look forward to receiving your article at the earliest possibility.

I'd be really grateful if you could respond without delay. Waiting for your reply.

Kindly acknowledge this mail within 24 hours.

[Some Person at some Open Access Journal of Nothing relevant to my lab]"

So annoying...