Beware of Journal Publication Scams! Pro Tips to Avoid Journal Publication Scams

At the end of February (and sadly, in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan), we, as the editorial board, received shocking news. One of the authors who submitted to our OJS (Objectives of Journal Journal) reported that he had been the victim of a journal publication scam from a major marketplace synonymous with the color orange. Initially, the victim asked about journal publication, and then suddenly bombarded us with questions, "This Letter of Aid (LoA) was published by this journal, right?" This question shocked us because we couldn't find the victim's name and title in our administrative database (even though he had submitted it to OJS).

Even more shocking, when we examined the LoA the victim had sent, it was clear that the file had been crudely edited by image processing software (or perhaps AI?). The title used a different font and font thickness than the rest of the text. The typography was very different from the LoA we had issued. The text had also been edited beyond the page limit of our LoA (3cm right margin, but the title text almost reached the edge of the text). From this, we realized that fraudsters not only boldly claim to publish manuscripts quickly and without peer review, but also have the audacity to create Letters of Agreement (LoA) in our name.

Here, we want to emphasize (and we never tire of informing you) that we only operate our journal through four channels: our website, email, our official Instagram account, and the WhatsApp hotline (WA) listed on our website. There is no other way to contact us other than through these channels. If you contact anyone (in any form claiming to be an agency, publisher, or even just an individual) claiming to be affiliated with us, whether through a WhatsApp message that does not match the one listed on our website, through a fake Instagram account with no history of publishing information about our journal, or even through other social media platforms, PLEASE IGNORE IT!

We only accept email communications through our official website address with the extension @rewangrencang.com. No other website other than rewangrencang.com, our parent company, is allowed to contact us. No website with an email address extension other than .com. Only the OJS website at rewangrencang.com is a trusted channel. Even then, our relationship through OJS utilizes existing features, such as the comments feature for editors, in addition to the official email address jhlg@rewangrencang.com. Beyond our website, email, official Instagram, and WhatsApp hotline, we are no longer responsible for these, as they are beyond our control.

Therefore, here we intend not only to provide a reminder, but also to provide tips and tricks to avoid scams, to prevent falling prey to fraudulent journal publications that claim to collaborate with us and publish articles quickly, even without review, because we are not predators (See the previous post at this link). So, what are the tips for avoiding fraudulent journal publication scams?

1. Only transact through the official website!

The official website will most likely appear in the first search results (and even on the first page) of search engines like Google when searching for keywords such as the journal name. Due to the frequency of scheduled and frequent publications, search engines are likely to recognize and place the official website in the initial search results. Check the website address to see if it's suspicious. Does it use a strange domain extension? Check to see if the website address is correct. ("Microsoft" can even look like "rnicrosoft" if you're not careful).

2. Familiarize yourself with the website and only contact the available communication channels.

Usually, journal publication sites, especially those using the Open Journal System (OJS) platform, provide official contact information via email at least once for correspondence. Some scientific journals, like ours, post an official WhatsApp hotline on their website to facilitate communication between authors and editors. Only communicate through the provided channels!

3. Don't trust third parties or third parties

If you contact someone else or a third party claiming to be from us, or claiming to have an affiliation or acquaintance with us, don't immediately trust them! Confirm with us first if you have any doubts. Don't let the urgency of your publication make you rash and make transactions beyond our control. We are never affiliated with or collaborate with anyone; everyone who contacts us through our official channels will be treated equally.

4. Use AI to analyze transactions

If you're unsure whether the website you're visiting is legitimate (for example, a clone), ask AI to analyze it. AI can determine this from their training history. For example, in this case, simply enter this prompt: "Is this website (enter the address of the website you're doubting) really publishing the Lex Generalis Law Journal? Can you analyze its history so I don't fall for a journal publication scam?" A simple prompt that can save you.

5. Expert Pro Tips a.k.a Editor Advice! Hidden and technical tips for "testing" scammers

You're already sure the website is legitimate. You've also submitted your journal to the OJS website. Then you're connected to a third party impersonating us (you're unsure whether the hotline you contacted is legitimate). You simply need to provide your name (the one who submitted it) and ask the hotline what their OJS number is. The official editor will also be an admin and can access a dedicated editor dashboard to monitor all submitted manuscripts. From there, you can check whether their OJS number matches the one listed on your dashboard.

This way, we can all avoid fraudulent scams disguised as fast, unreviewed journal publications. However, we remind you once again that any transactions, relationships, or agreements made in our name or claiming to be affiliated with us are not our responsibility, as they are beyond our control and we have already addressed these concerns through this advisory. Please contact us only through the following channels:

Website: https://ojs.rewangrencang.com/

Email: jhlg@rewangrencang.com

Official Instagram: @lex.generalis (Himpunan Ilmu Hukum dan Ilmu Hukum Islam)

WhatsApp Hotline: 08974720404