Low-quality or plagiarised content
Published material that failed the standard the reference list existed to protect.
Protect your research
Cloned & Fake Journal Alert: Detect Predatory and Discontinued Journals
Expanded guide: this article now has a longer, fully updated edition with step-by-step how-to sections, FAQs and checklists — Cloned and Fake Journal Alert: How Clones Work, a 20-Point Detection Checklist, and What to Do If You Paid One.
Publishing in the wrong journal does not just waste effort — it can invalidate your research for academic credit entirely. Some journals are cloned outright: their name, ISSN and website copied to trap authors. This is how to spot one before you submit or pay.
Key takeaways
- A cloned journal copies a real title, ISSN and branding onto a different domain to collect submissions and fees.
- The ISSN Portal is the tie-breaker: it records the registered title, publisher and URL for every serial.
- Payment before review, a personal bank account or a free-mail contact are stop signs, whatever the website looks like.
- JMVRA is run from jmvra.org only; its charge is ₹971 INR for Indian authors and $41 USD for international authors, due only after acceptance — and never requested at submission.
Publishing in the wrong journal can waste months of effort and, worse, invalidate your research for academic credit entirely. Some journals are cloned outright — a genuine title’s name, ISSN, logo and even layout copied onto a different website, built to collect submissions and fees while offering none of the real journal’s process. This page covers why journals get removed from quality lists, exactly how to detect a clone, the specific tricks used to fake Scopus and Web of Science indexing, and the official UGC lists you can check directly.
Background
Why Journals Get Removed From a Quality List
The reasons UGC CARE historically discontinued titles are the same signals worth screening for today.
Lack of transparency in peer review
No documented review process, or one that could not be verified.
Misleading indexing or false claims
Indexing badges and figures that did not match any real database record.
Cloned online versions of print-only journals
A genuine print title copied onto an unrelated domain to collect online submissions.
Violation of publication ethics
Complaints substantiated after scrutiny against CARE protocols.
Twelve red flags
General Warning Signs of a Cloned Journal
Near-identical title to an established journalISSN does not match the registered titleDomain unrelated to the publisher on recordFree-email contact only, no institutional addressEditors who cannot be independently verifiedGuaranteed acceptance before reviewFees that appear only after acceptanceDatabase logos with no matching source-list recordArchive that is thin, broken or inconsistentDOIs that resolve to a different article or sitePayment requested to a personal accountPressure to pay before the stated process is complete
None of these apply here. Check our ISSN, editors and policies against the list above, then read the call for papers.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptanceA more specific trap
How Clones Fake Scopus & Web of Science Indexing
Cloning does not stop at UGC CARE — Scopus and Web of Science get imitated too, because their reputation is exactly what attracts researchers.
Similar name, different domain
Uses a name, ISSN or logo close to a real indexed title, but on a domain the database record does not show.
"Scopus Indexed" with no proof
Claims the label without a linkable Source ID or a matching Scopus Sources record.
Logos without links or IDs
Displays Scopus or Web of Science badges as static images, with nothing a reader can click through to verify.
No editorial transparency
No named, checkable editorial board behind the claimed indexing.
Fast-track, spammy acceptance offers
Unsolicited email offering guaranteed acceptance or an unusually fast, no-review turnaround.
Neither Scopus nor Web of Science ever guarantees publication or runs a fast-track acceptance program. Any email claiming otherwise, citing either brand by name, did not come from them.
Check it yourself
How to Verify Scopus & Web of Science Indexing
For Scopus
- Visit scopus.com/sources.
- Search by exact title or ISSN.
- Match every detail — title, publisher, ISSN — against the official source record.
- Check the “coverage years” to confirm the listing is current, not historical.
For Web of Science
- Visit mjl.clarivate.com.
- Search by journal title or ISSN.
- Confirm it is listed under SCIE, SSCI, AHCI or ESCI — note which one.
- Match the publisher name and domain against the record.
The mismatch between the two boxes is the entire test. If the domains do not match, stop there.
Straight from UGC
Official UGC CARE Cloned-Journal Lists
UGC CARE received complaints about several journals not following standard publishing practice. After scrutinising them against CARE protocols, UGC removed those found involved in unethical practices, and stated that publication in them would not count for any academic purpose.
The UGC Cell for Journal Analysis at the Centre for Publication Ethics (CPE), SPPU Pune, was notified of cloned journals and of online versions of print-only journals in which the ISSN, title and logo had all been copied. Journals found involved in unethical practices were removed immediately.
- Cloned list, Group I: ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/CloneJournals
- Cloned list, Group II: ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/CloneJournalsGroupII
What it actually costs you
Consequences of Publishing in a Cloned or Removed Journal
No academic credit
Not valid for PhD submission, promotion scoring or research grant reporting.
PhD or grant ineligibility
An institution assessing a cloned-journal publication will typically reject it outright.
Damaged credibility
Association with a predatory title can follow a researcher’s record.
Money and time lost
Fees paid to a cloned journal are rarely recoverable, and the manuscript still needs a genuine home.
Five habits
How to Stay Safe
- Use only official portals to verify indexing — never a third-party aggregator or claim.
- Check the editorial board, the peer-review process and the contact details independently.
- Search the journal name alongside the word “predatory” or “clone” before you submit.
- Ask your supervisor or your institution’s research cell if you are unsure.
- Never let a manuscript sit under review at two journals at once, even while checking one out.
If you have already submitted or paid
Stop any further payment immediately. Write to the journal withdrawing the manuscript and keep the correspondence — do not leave the same paper under review in two places. Report the site to your institution’s research cell so colleagues are warned, and if money moved by card or bank transfer, raise it with your bank promptly; the window for a dispute is short.
A genuine low cost journal and a cloned scam are different things entirely. Check us the way this page just taught you, then submit.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptanceCost is not the test
Genuine Low Cost Publication vs a Predatory Fee
A cloned or predatory journal is defined by deception — a copied identity, unverifiable editors, fees sprung on you after acceptance — not by how much it charges. A low fee attached to a verifiable ISSN, named editors, a documented review process and an upfront, itemised price is genuine low cost publication. Judge every journal, including this one, by the checklist on this page rather than by price.
| Item | Indian authors | International authors |
|---|---|---|
| Publication charge — full paper online, up to 5 authors | ₹971 INR | $41 USD |
| CrossRef DOI registration (optional) | ₹300 | $20 |
Payable only after acceptance. Read the live Publication Charges page, and pay only through the accounts listed there.
Trusted resources
Sources & Disclaimer
- UGC CARE portal, UGC Cell at SPPU Pune
- University Grants Commission official website
- ISSN Portal
- Scopus Sources
- Clarivate Master Journal List
Disclaimer: our journal operates a rigorous peer-review process and is a refereed journal. For indexing status and inclusion in databases such as UGC CARE, Scopus or Web of Science, refer to the latest lists on those databases’ own websites. Cloned or fake journals are becoming more common and harder to detect — a few minutes of verification before submitting anywhere can save real time and cost.
Keep reading
Related Guides
A clone check in five moves
Every move takes the claim off the suspect site and tests it somewhere the site does not control.
Genuine journal or clone?
Six signals that separate the original from the copy — each one checkable in minutes.
| Signal | Genuine journal | Cloned site |
|---|---|---|
| ISSN Portal record | Title, publisher and URL match the site | Same ISSN, different domain |
| Editorial board | Named, with checkable affiliations | Missing, copied or unreachable |
| DOIs on papers | Resolve to this journal | Dead, or resolve to the real journal elsewhere |
| Payment | After acceptance, journal account, invoice | Before review, personal account, no invoice |
| Fees | Published in full on the site | Quoted by e-mail, changing |
| Indexing claims | Verifiable at the database by ISSN | Logos only |
Related articles and guides
Submit Your Paper to JMVRA
Peer-reviewed, open access, ISSN 2984-8911. Verified ISSN, named editors, documented review, honest indexing, an upfront fee. Read the call for papers, then submit online.
Questions? [email protected]
What authors search for
Popular Search Terms
Cloned & fake journals
Verification tools
Low cost publication
Author intent
Popular questions and answers
Cloned & Fake Journal FAQs
These visible answers also power the FAQ structured data on this page.
What is a cloned journal?
A fraudulent publication that copies a genuine journal’s title, ISSN, logo and often its layout onto an unrelated domain, in order to collect submissions and fees for a publication that offers none of the real journal’s editorial process.
Why are journals removed from a quality list?
Typical reasons include low-quality or plagiarised published content, a lack of transparency in the peer-review process, misleading or false indexing claims, cloned online versions of print-only titles, and substantiated violations of publication ethics.
What are the general warning signs of a cloned or predatory journal?
A title deceptively close to an established one, an ISSN that does not match the registered title, a domain unrelated to the real publisher, free-email-only contact, unverifiable editors, guaranteed acceptance, fees that appear only after acceptance, database logos with no matching record, a thin or broken archive, DOIs resolving elsewhere, payment requested to a personal account, and pressure to pay quickly.
How do cloned journals specifically fake Scopus or Web of Science indexing?
They use a name, ISSN or logo close to a genuine indexed title on an unrelated domain; claim “Scopus Indexed” with no linkable Source ID; display database logos as static images with nothing to verify against; show no real editorial transparency; and frequently send unsolicited email offering fast-track, spammy acceptance.
How do I verify a journal against Scopus myself?
Visit scopus.com/sources, search by the exact title or ISSN, match every detail against the official record, and check the “coverage years” field to confirm the listing is current rather than historical or discontinued.
How do I verify a journal against Web of Science myself?
Visit mjl.clarivate.com, search by title or ISSN, confirm which collection it sits in — SCIE, SSCI, AHCI or ESCI — and match the publisher name and domain against the record.
Do Scopus and Web of Science ever guarantee publication or offer fast-track deals?
No. Neither database publishes journals or accepts manuscripts — they index existing journals against selection criteria. Any offer of guaranteed publication or a fast-track deal citing Scopus or Web of Science by name is not coming from Scopus or Clarivate.
Where are the official UGC CARE cloned-journal lists?
Maintained by the Centre for Publication Ethics (CPE), SPPU, and the UGC Cell for Journal Analysis, on the UGC CARE portal: a separate list for what were Group I titles and another for Group II titles. Both links are on this page.
What happens if I publish in a cloned or removed journal?
The publication typically is not valid for academic credit, PhD submission, promotion scoring or research grant reporting. It can damage your academic credibility, and any fee paid is rarely recoverable.
I think I already submitted to or paid a cloned journal — what do I do?
Stop any further payment immediately. Write to withdraw the manuscript and keep the correspondence — do not let the same paper sit under review in two places. Report the site to your institution’s research cell, and if money moved by card or bank transfer, raise a dispute with your bank promptly; the window to act is short.
Is a low publication fee a sign that a journal is cloned or predatory?
Not by itself. Genuine low cost publication and a predatory scam are different things — judge by the checklist on this page (ISSN, editors, review process, indexing evidence, disclosed fee), not by price alone. A cloned journal is defined by deception, not by what it charges.
Does JMVRA appear on any UGC CARE clone alert?
No. JMVRA is not a cloned title. Apply the checks on this page to us the same way you would to any journal — ISSN, editors, peer-review policy, working CrossRef DOI links and a fully disclosed fee — before you submit or pay.
Where do I submit my paper safely?
Read the current call for papers to confirm scope, article types and deadlines, then submit through the official online submission page listed on this journal’s own site — never through a link received unsolicited by email.
Question not answered here? Email [email protected] before you submit — or go straight to the current call for papers.
₹971 INR Indian authors · $41 USD international · payable after acceptance
