From: "Jim O'Donnell" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2017 12:41:18 -0700

In this very interesting article:

http://www.nature.com/news/predatory-journals-recruit-fake-editor-1.21662

. . . a group of four scholars at the University of Wrocław created a
completely fake profile for a purported scientist and then had her
submit application to hundreds of journals to join their editorial
boards.  "She" was not unsuccessful:

"We conceived a sting operation and submitted a fake application for
an editor position to 360 journals, a mix of legitimate titles and
suspected predators. Forty-eight titles accepted. Many revealed
themselves to be even more mercenary than we had expected."

The article includes interesting comparisons of the differential
response from journals on the controversial (and now disappeared)
Beall's list, from journals in DOAJ, and JCR (Journal Citation
Reports) journals.  The need for money to change hands in some
irregular ways is a recurring but not universal theme.  Meanwhile the
non-existent scientist seems (I won't spoil the punch lines of the
article) assured of a prestigious and visible career.

Jim O'Donnell
Arizona State University