How to spot a hijacked journal
A hijacked (clone) journal is a fake website that uses the name and ISSN of a real journal. It takes money while promising fast publication, but the article never appears in Scopus or counts towards OAK requirements. Here are the signs of such a site and how to check a journal before you submit.
6 warning signs
- The website address differs from the one listed in Scopus or by the publisher
- Publication is promised within days, with a "Scopus guarantee"
- Payment is requested before review, or to a personal card or wallet
- No clear information on peer review; the editorial board can't be verified
- The archive is full of papers from unrelated fields
- The only contact is a personal email or a messenger account
How to check
- Find the journal by title and ISSN in Scopus Sources and compare the official website address
- For open-access journals — is it listed in DOAJ (doaj.org)
- Check the Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker
- For OAK — is the journal on the current list of the Higher Attestation Commission
- Verify the ISSN at the ISSN Portal (portal.issn.org)
If you have already paid
Don't pay anything more, and ask in writing for the article to be withdrawn from that site. Keep the payment records and contact your bank. Before submitting to the real journal, make sure the article isn't published anywhere else.
Checking with PlagiatX
The journal checker (https://plagiatx.uz/jurnallar) shows a journal's status in Scopus, DOAJ, OAK and the Retraction Watch hijacked list by title or ISSN — free. In the Journal article readiness report, a warning about a known clone site of the chosen journal comes first.
Questions
Is a hijacked journal the same as a predatory journal?
No. A hijacked journal is a fake site using a real journal's name. A predatory journal operates under its own name but publishes for a fee without real peer review. Avoid both.
Is checking a journal paid?
No, the journal checker at https://plagiatx.uz/jurnallar is free.
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Soxta (klon) jurnalni qanday aniqlash mumkin
Klon (hijacked) jurnal — haqiqiy jurnalning nomi va ISSN raqamini o'g'irlab ochilgan soxta sayt. U maqolani tez chop etishni va'da qilib pul oladi, lekin maqola Scopus'ga ham, OAK hisobiga ham kirmaydi. Quyida bunday saytni tanish belgilari va yuborishdan oldin jurnalni tekshirish tartibi.
Как распознать журнал-клон
Журнал-клон (hijacked) — поддельный сайт, использующий название и ISSN настоящего журнала. Он берёт деньги, обещая быструю публикацию, но статья не попадает ни в Scopus, ни в зачёт ВАК. Ниже — признаки такого сайта и порядок проверки журнала до отправки.
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