Publication in Scopus — It’s not a luxury—it’s a requirement. To defend a dissertation, earn a degree, or confirm one’s qualifications. That’s exactly why this field has become ripe for manipulation—and that’s exactly why we conducted this investigation.
The stakes are extremely high. A single article in Scopus can cost anywhere from $300 to $1500 and take months of work. For a Ukrainian researcher preparing for a thesis defense or undergoing a tenure review, this isn’t just a publication—it’s a requirement without which their career comes to a standstill.
It is precisely this pressure that unscrupulous publications exploit. The journal is indexed in Scopus, the website looks reputable, the editorial office responds to emails—and it seems like everything is under control. But thousands of Ukrainian researchers have already learned the hard way: it’s much cheaper to verify a journal at the outset than to face the consequences of not doing so later on.
We continuously monitor the Scopus database—tracking changes in journal statuses, recording deindexing, and analyzing the patterns followed by problematic publications. In this article, we will show:
- Three specific scams that are actively in use right now;
- What the process looks like—from the first letter to the withdrawal of the publication;
- Four real journals where Ukrainian scientists lost more than $90,000;
- How to check the log before you pay.
This isn't just a theory. These are documented cases—with the names of the magazines, figures on the losses, and a clear explanation of how it happens.
Three Strategies That Are Working Right Now
Exterior everything looks like honestly: website magazine is working, publication is in based on Scopus, Editorial Staff corresponds to on letters. But for this facade — three good used traps.
Diagram 1
The magazine has already been canceled, but you don't know it yet
Scopus does not update statuses immediately. It can take up to a month between the decision to remove a journal and the appearance of the “Coverage discontinued” label. During this time, publishers send out mass emails and actively accept articles. You see the journal in the database—and think everything is fine. In reality, it’s already a dead journal.
Diagram 2
The magazine is "sponsored" by CSAB, but continues to charge fees
If a journal has been flagged for review by the Scopus Content Selection & Advisory Board, that’s already a red flag. The journal is at risk of being delisted due to poor quality or ethical violations. The publisher is aware of the risks but does not inform the authors and continues to accept payments.
Diagram 3
The magazine accepts anything and everything—without peer review and without any logic
Formally, the journal is indexed in Scopus. However, the topics of the articles do not align with the Aims & Scope; reviews are either absent or formulaic, and they accept for publication anything that has been paid for. Some articles even make it into the database—but they are removed after a CSAB audit. The result: wasted money, time, and chances to defend your thesis.
How the Scam Works: Six Steps from an Email to Disaster
One day, you receive an email from a journal to which you’ve never submitted anything. Where did they get your email address? It’s simple: editorial offices are scraping contact information en masse directly from published scientific articles. Your email address is listed in your own publications—and that’s exactly where automated scripts collect it. Next, they perform keyword matching based on the topics of these publications and launch an automated mailing campaign. In a single day, thousands of authors receive the exact same email. This isn’t a personal invitation—it’s a marketing technique.
- A letter containing an "invitation." The editorial staff writes that they are interested in your work and are offering to publish it quickly. It sounds flattering—but in reality, they simply pulled your email address from one of your articles.
- A mass email campaign promising quick publication in exchange for money. They emphasize the deadlines: “2–4 weeks until publication,” “there are still spots available in the current issue.” It is precisely this pressure to meet the deadline that is the key element of manipulation.
- Two types of magazines—different risks. Some accept everything within their scope—the risk of deindexing is lower. Others accept any articles to maximize their earnings—the risk of deindexing is close to 100%.
- The author submits an article—and everything happens very quickly. They accept submissions in a matter of days, publish them, and charge fees ranging from $300 to $1500. In some cases, the article even appears in Scopus.
- Scopus is conducting an audit—and removing articles. After a journal or specific publications have been reviewed, they are removed from the database. The researcher is left with nothing: no publications and no money.
- The editorial staff ignores requests and does not refund money. The article must be rewritten and republished—in a different journal, with new funding, and at the expense of precious time leading up to the defense.
The Top 4 Journals Where Ukrainian Scientists Wasted Money in 2024–2025
Below — real cases from our monitoring. Only four magazines, only Ukrainian authors, confirmed losses.
~$35,000 in losses |
The biggest scandal of 2024. Over 2,000 articles were published in the journal, including about 50 by Ukrainian authors. All publications were removed from Scopus following a mass audit. The publication fee was $700 per article. The journal actively recruited authors through personalized letters and promises of rapid publication.
Authors from Ukraine: 200+ | Contribution: $700 | Scopus status: removed
2. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management | ~$16,000 in losses |
About 20 articles by Ukrainian researchers, each costing $600. The journal positioned itself as a reputable IT publication in Scopus. All articles have been deindexed, and the journal has been removed from the database. Researchers in technical fields who published through intermediaries were particularly affected.
Authors from Ukraine: 100+ | Contribution: $600 | Scopus status: removed
~$15,000 in losses |
About 20 articles by Ukrainian authors. The contribution fee was initially $1000, then dropped to $600—a clear sign of the editorial board’s desperation before the journal’s closure. All articles have been removed from Scopus. The journal actively used the topics of sustainable development and the SDGs as a lure for authors with relevant research.
Authors from Ukraine: 95+ | Contribution: $600–$1000 | Scopus status: removed
~$15,000 in losses |
A particularly insidious case: the journal initially did adhere to standards, but then abruptly changed its editorial policy and began accepting anything and everything. More than 15 articles by Ukrainian scientists, with a $1000 payment for each. All are indexed. This confirms that even “reputable” journals can deteriorate.
Authors from Ukraine: 60+ | Contribution: $1000 | Scopus status: removed
Before you pay—check the log in 60 seconds
Each of the four journals listed above showed signs of risk long before their official deindexing. New articles on unrelated topics, a sudden increase in the number of publications, and changes in the editorial board. Our AI analyzes more than 20 Scopus metrics and provides a risk assessment of deindexing—before you transfer any funds.
✓ Analysis in 60 seconds ✓ 20+ risk factors ✓ Up-to-date Scopus database ✓ In Ukrainian
Scan the QR code or click the button below
Conclusions
Most of the articles in these journals were published through intermediary companies or individual brokers who promised quick publication. When a journal is deindexed, the intermediary shrugs and says, “It’s not our fault.” They keep the money, and the article disappears from the database.
There is some good news, too: Ukraine is making real progress—the number of publications in predatory journals has been steadily declining compared to previous years. The trend is positive. The problem persists where there is pressure from deadlines and a lack of verified information.
The rule is simple: every journal must be vetted, regardless of who recommends it. Conduct a risk analysis before making any payment. Read our column “Candidates for Removal from Scopus” or use LEO AI to avoid losing money, time, and reputation.
Magazine in Scopus — this is not warranty. This is starting point for inspections.
