LAUSR

Open access is a term used to describe online data that is available free of charge. Predatory open access journals have multiplied to become a very real threat to scientific research and the credibility of science itself. Although there is not a universally accepted definition, predatory open access publishing is a fraudulent business model that charges the authors under the pretence of legitimate publication but fails to provide an adequate editorial service. The consequence is a poor or nonexistent peer-review process combined with doubtful editorial ethics. It is not only naı̈ve authors who might be drawn in; anyone who publishes is likely to become a target for spam emails seeking article submissions and indiscriminate invitations to join editorial boards and attend fake conferences, risking stolen editorial identities and unethical attempts to inflate curricula vitae.