Research Infotext's Immense Pleasure

Research Infotext seems to be a collection of names of journals and editors in search of publications. Clicking around in the top two journals listed in the "journals catalogue" produces only the names of editors. The advertised journals have absolutely nothing in their "current issues" and "archives."

The journal that spammed me is equally empty. The email came from "John GETZ, ME." A JM Getz is a coauthor of six articles in the field of forensic pathology indexed on Google Scholar. The journal refers to "Prof. John Getz," but it gives no academic or other affiliation for him. The US members of the editorial board are said to be

• "Michael I. Schaffer, Ph.D, Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, VP Laboratory Operations, Psychemedics Corporation, California, USA," and
• "DAVID E. MOODY, Ph.D., Center for Human Toxicology, University of Utah, United States."

The domain name researchinfotext.com is registered by proxy (with GoDaddy's help). However, at the same IP address is rinfotext.com, registered by Narendra Nalavalli of Ashburn, Virginia (narendranalavalli@gmail.com, 315-998-2964), which mostly matches the contact information on the website. However, neither Google Maps, Zillow.com, nor the US Postal service's zipcode finder recognizes "4192 Devonwood Way." (The address provided for the journal is 4192 Devonwood Way, Ashburn, VA 20148. Only large, single-family houses are situated on a Devonwood Way in Dulles, Virginia 20148.)

A Narendra Nalavalli also registered the names tlkumarcreations.com and teamkumar.com. The latter solicits donations for Kumar Prescod, a very young boxer "Full of Raw Talent and Laser Focus". The registration is now in GoDaddy's hands, but it originally came from Narendra Nalavalli, kumar_lavan(at)yahoo.co.in, 409, tilak road, tirupati, India. Although DomainBigData.com links all three, perhaps these two are the work of a different Narenda Nalavalli.

Email

• From: john_getz.ijfs@mailer.researchinfotext.com On Behalf Of John Getz
  Date: Monday, February 24, 2020 1:39 PM
  Subject: Heads Up - Require One Paper | IJFS Journal
  Dear Dr. David H Kaye,
  I would like to introduce Infotext Journal of Forensic Sciences [IJFS] which publishes high quality and novel papers please read the journal here. ... [← There are no papers in the journal. Maybe someday?]
  We greatly appreciate your recent [ten-year-old] study "The good, the bad, the ugly: the NAS report on strengthening forensic science in America" [← This "recent" paper is ten years old and was never particularly impressive.] and it is our immense pleasure to bring it to your kind notice that manuscript submissions (research, review, case report, short communication, Commentary, etc.) are now open towards the upcoming issue of our Journal.
  It would be great if you could submit your article on or before 10th March 2020. The manuscript can be submitted as an email attachment to john_getz.ijfs@rinfotext.com
  Note: We make open-access available by enabling you to select an APC that is appropriate based on your funding and financial circumstances.
  Awaiting the favor of your prompt attention.
  Regards,
  John GETZ, ME
• From: john_getz.ijfs@mailer.researchinfotext.com On Behalf Of John Getz
  Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 3:39 PM
  Subject: Followup | Journal of Forensic Sciences
  Hi David H Kaye,
  When you get a minute, could you please drop me a line regarding my last email on your paper submission?
  I would like to introduce Infotext Journal of Forensic Sciences [IJFS] which publishes high quality and novel papers ... IJFS has received good responses from authors with a contribution of 4 manuscripts for the Current Issue of Volume 2020; we just require one article to release the issue. If you would contribute a short article of 1 or 2 pages such as short commentary (or) any kind of article so that we can release the issue. I would be happy to a quick review and answer any questions if you have given any additional thought to my proposal.
  I welcome you to submit the work in a word document as an attachment to this mail.
  On behalf of the Editorial Team of the IJFS, I thank you very much in advance for your submission and look forward to work with you.
  With appreciation,
  Prof. John Getz, ME
• From: editor.ijfs@mailer.researchinfotext.com On Behalf Of John Getz, ME
  Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 7:02 PM
  Subject: Followup; IJFS EOM
  Hi Dr. David H Kaye,
  Maybe it's a few days long since we have contacted you, as we have received a message to contact you in the future that showed your trust and confidence in us. [← Are they kidding? No such message came from me!] With reference to your article titled The good, the bad, the ugly: the NAS report on strengthening forensic science in America found your research interests close to the scope of our Infotext Journal of Forensic Sciences [IJFS]. If you have any article for publication kindly submit on any of your interesting topics for our upcoming issue of IJFS. ... Currently, IJFS has indexed in Research Gate, Google Scholar, and Cross Ref.
  You can send your article as an attachment to this email or to submissions@resinfotext.com on/ before June 30th, 2020. We will be waiting for your reply. [← It will be a long wait.]
  With Regards,
  Prof. John Getz, ME
• From: editor.ijfs@mailer.researchinfotext.com On Behalf Of Prof. John Getz
  Sent: Friday, June 19, 2020 2:04 PM
  Subject: Final Followup; [← I wish!] IJFS Journal EOM
  Hi David H Kaye,
  With reference to your previous article “The good, the bad, the ugly: the NAS report on strengthening forensic science in America.”
  Infotext Journal of Forensic Sciences [IJFS] has received good responses from authors with a contribution of 4 manuscripts for the Current Issue of Volume 2020; we just require one article to release the issue. If you would contribute a short article of 1 or 2 pages such as short commentary (or) any kind of article so that we can release the issue. I would be happy to a quick review and answer any questions if you have given any additional thought to my proposal.
  Note: Discounted publication fee 299 USD only. I welcome you to submit the work in a word document as an attachment to this mail.
  I would be happy to give a quick review and answer any questions if you have given any additional thought to my proposal. Thanks & with appreciation,
  Jhon [sic] Getz, ME

IJERA Avoids Various Verticals

International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) sends spam from an unnamed "Editor in Chief." That makes sense considering that no editor in chief is listed on the website. Indeed, the six "editorial board members" have names and (no) positions such as "Dr.Eugen Axinte, Romanian," "Dr. Aknuas William, Australia," and the untraceable "Dr.Rao, P.hd, USA." But "IJERA is UGC Approved Journal" that "aims to cover the scientific research in a broader sense and not publishing a niche area of research facilitating researchers from various verticals to publish their papers." Moreover, it is "for the researchers to publish in a shorter of time, enabling them to continue further."

Some of IJERA claims
⊘ IJERA accepts only and only high qualities paper. Its Average acceptance publication percentage is 26.09 %
⊘ IJERA is non profit non loss organization.
⊘ Review process takes only 4-6 days because of IJERA strong peer review team.
⊘ IJERA Conferred with “Outstanding Engineering Journal” Award by Jour Rank on 11th December 2011.
⊘ IJERA Publishes only and only quality papers.
⊘ IJERA secured maximum score 11.66 by Science Central march 2012 report.
⊘ IJERA is index in world top indexing database like Nasa Ads, ArXiv.org, ANED (American National Engineering Database), NCBI (US National Library).

In addition to these bizarre claims, the journal maintains that it is affiliated with Harvard, Cornell, and other universities. It proudly displays the logo of the National Library of Medicine's National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) on its website. The logo is ironic, considering that National Library of Medicine (NLM) excludes the journal from the NLM collection and the Medline index.

Speedy publication free from the various verticals is a promise that IJERA keeps. Researchers working with ZBW Mediatalk used the random paper generator, SCIgen, to fabricate a paper, “Decoupling IPv7 from the Transistor in Operating Systems.” IJERA accepted the garbage within 24 hours. The "strong peer review team['s]" assessment took the following form (in the "Reviewers Comments"):

1. Briefly, they have gone through your article, it was good.
2. No comments in peer review side.

Payment to the State Bank of India would guarantee publication.

Although the website behind this "outstanding journal" has no contact information other than gmail, the individual name behind the domain name ijera.com is Chetan Sharma (presumably not the former Indian cricketer and politician). The same name (sometimes in the url chetan.journals@gmail.com) is associated with domain names for other flaky journals such as American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER) and International Organization of Scientific Research (IOSR) Publishing.

Email

• From: add paper [entary56data@all.bg]
  Date: Thu 2/20/2020 12:50 AM
  But Subject: Author Articles
  IJERA JOURNAL
  Dear Researcher,
  International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access and peer reviewed refereed international Journal. More than 3100 IJERA published articles are indexed in DOAJ
  International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) provides certificate free of cost to all author after publication paper.
  Impact Factor of IJERA: 5.179
  INDEXING : NASA Ads, ArXiv, ANED (American National Engineering Database), EBSCO Host, Cabell’s Directory, DOAJ, NCBI (US National Library) etc.
  Call For Paper: Important Dates
  Last date for paper submission: 25th February 2020 Acceptance Notification: Within 4-6 days Publication Date: 05th March 2020 ...
  EMAIL ID - ijera.submit@rediffmail.com
  Regards
  Editor-In-Chief
  International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications
  --
  ALL.BG Mail

Raft Publications "aspire to publish"

Janine Paynter, a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland, called my attention to Raft Publications. Raft's motto is "reciprocal approach for transformation." The About Us page explains Raft's vision in these terms: "To asset international benchmark by encouraging distinguished research work, through use our best technology, resources and our dedication to research community." In addition, the Our Journals page explains that "RAFT publications aspire to publish manuscripts ... with 40+ international peer reviewed journals. ... Our passion ... droves us to publish our journals through open access mode ... ."

Raft accurately remarks that "We accept all types of manuscripts ... ." Janine notes that Raft's content includes papers "such as 'Prostate cancer cured in a week by machine without side effects.'"

The address for the US editorial office (19645 N 31st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85027) seems to be an apartment house in Arizona. A tenant wrote to Yelp that "I have paper towels in the cracks and towels on the bottom of the doors to keep the bees out. ...Please look else where before coming here!!!! ... HORRIBLE! Zero care for their residents. Do not put your child at risk." Oddly, Raft's phone number for "any queries" has a San Diego prefix (+1 858 376 7260). The domain was registered by Contact Privacy, Inc., of Canada. Searching Google for the website returns the following blurb after the domain name: "Country: Iran, Islamic Republic of. You can also send us an email ... ."