Fraud Methods in Publishing Researchers' Scientific Papers Using Social Engineering
Khawlah Mitib AL-Tkhayneh, Moustafa Elmetwaly Kandeel · 2023
The aim of this study was to identify the fraudulent methods researchers face when publishing their scientific papers. These are mainly based on the technique of social minds. To achieve the study objectives, the researchers used the analytical descriptive approach based on semi-structured interview. The study stratified sample was chosen by the accidental sampling method and consisted of (74) faculty members from one of the private universities in the United Arab Emirates. The results showed that (30) faculty members, about (41%) of the total sample individuals were exposed to fraud while publishing their scientific papers, whereas (59%) of the sample individuals weren't exposed to fraud while publishing their scientific papers. As for the fraud methods, the sites of fake journals were in the first place, with a percentage of (63.3%), followed by spam via the e-mail with (50%), commercial journals and fraud methods using publishing centers via social media sites were in the third place with (40%), incomplete misleading procedures from the journal's main site with (16.7%), and finally the method of realistic mediator with a percentage of (13.3%). The results revealed that (74%) of the respondents are aware of the fraud activities related to publishing scientific papers, (57%) experienced such fraud processes themselves, and (43%) heard about fraud activities from others.