Scientific publishing, meet cybercrime. Two reputable European science journals have fallen prey to identity theft by criminals who have created counterfeit journal websites. These online doppel­gängers have duped hundreds of researchers into paying author fees, with the ill-won gains being funnelled to Armenia.

Full story in Nature. h/t MR

Two thoughts.

First, I think scamming is despicable criminal behavior. Even so: Bravo, Armenians, bravo. Simply genius.

Second, I’m beginning to wonder whether I should have paid $100 last week to submit to the Amurican Economic Jernal. Crap.