Publishing in Scopus journals is a must for any scientist. But in recent years, a new wave of fraud has emerged: even journals that appear indexed can turn out to be a trap.
At first glance, everything seems legitimate: the website is up, the journal is listed in the Scopus database, and the editors are responding. But in reality, the journal has already been excluded or is on the verge of being excluded—the information in the system simply hasn't been updated yet, and the publisher is deliberately concealing the problems.
Let's look at the three most common scenarios that researchers encounter when publishing scientific articles in Scopus.
1. The journal has already been excluded, but the “Coverage discontinued” mark is not yet present.
The situation is typical.
Scopus statuses are not updated immediately—it can take a month between the decision to exclude and the appearance of the label.
Publishers are making the most of this "dead month":
they launch mass mailings and promise quick publication in Scopus, accept articles on any topic and actively collect payments.
Scientists see a journal in the database and think everything is safe—but in fact, it is already a «corpse» that will soon disappear from indexing.
2. The journal is on hold in CSAB, but continues to charge fees.
An even more vile scheme.
When a journal is reviewed by the Scopus Content Selection & Advisory Board (CSAB), it means that it under threat of expulsion.
The reasons may be different:
- questionable editorial policy,
- low quality of materials,
- violation of publication ethics.
The publisher knows about this, but does not inform the authors.
He continues to accept articles and payments—and when the journal is finally excluded, the authors are left with nothing: Their publications are not taken into account for certification, defense or grants.
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3. Journals that accept anything and everything, without peer review or logic
Such journals are formally listed in Scopus, but in fact they publish everything they have paid for.
Signs of such «pseudo-editions»:
- the topic does not correspond to the declared scope;
- there is no review or it is purely formal;
- deadlines are always "carbon copies";
- accept materials from all sciences in a row.
Yes, some of these works can be indexed, but after the CSAB check the journal loses indexing, and already published articles are removed from the database.
As a result, the author loses publication, time, and professional reputation—this is especially critical when publishing an article in Kazakhstan, where strict indexing requirements can lead to such work simply not being counted for defense or certification.
How to protect yourself from fraudulent magazines
To avoid falling into a trap, follow these simple rules:
• Check the journal only in the official Scopus database:
• Write to the official Scopus support:
https://service.elsevier.com/app/home/supporthub/scopus
Only Elsevier specialists can confirm the current status of a journal.
• If you have any doubts about something, don’t pay right away!
Losing a day on checking is better than losing money and an indexed publication.
Conclusions
The world of science has gone digital, and with it, the risks of manipulation have increased.
The main currency of the explorer today is caution, not money.
IN Academy of Articles We conduct a two-tiered journal review process: using the official Scopus database and through internal contacts with publishers and indexers.
Therefore, by working with us, you can be sure that the journal to which your article is submitted is truly indexed and is not at risk of exclusion.
And if you need to order a scientific article for publication, we will also prepare the material in accordance with all requirements.
