The Ubiquitous Alireza Heidari at the Fake California South University

Alireza Heidari of California South University is a very busy academic -- so accomplished in such a short time that one might question whether he is a real person. The university website describes "Prof. Dr. Alireza Heidari, Ph.D., D.Sc." as

a Full Distinguished Professor and Academic Tenure of Chemistry at California South University (CSU), Irvine, California, USA. He has got his Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees from California South University (CSU), Irvine, California, USA.

This biographical note strains credulity (and continues to butcher English), bragging that

Syne, he has been awarded more than one thousand reputed international awards, prizes, scholarships and honors. Heretofore, he has multiple editorial duties in many reputed international and peer–reviewed journals, books and publishers. Hitherward, he is a member of more than four hundreds reputed international academic–scientific–research institutes around the world."

"Reputed peer-reviewed journals" is an apt phrase. This eminent Cal South graduate is on the editorial boards of journals from such flaky, deceptive, or predatory publishers as OMICS (which downgrades him to "a Postdoctoral Research Fellow," albeit with "double postdocs"), Allied Academies, ReDelve, Scitechnol, and Peertechz (where he is an editor-in-chief).

I had never heard of the university before, but it has an amazing website. There, we learn that "[t]he university ranks among the top five universities in the United States and among the top public research universities worldwide." The Reputation page concludes with the forthright admission that "The university has been the subject of several recent scandals. In 2011, the school’s dean of medicine resigned after plagiarizing much of his graduation address. In 2012, the University’s Psychiatry department chair was placed on leave before officially beginning his duties after allegations emerged of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient."

Although these unfortunate events might place CSU among the top five universities -- for recent scandals -- the school does not even exist. It is a website that sells diplomas (with higher prices for higher GPAs).

SciTechnol (OMICS in disguise)

In May 2012, Beall reported that OMICS created this name for 53 instant journals and was "spamming tens of thousands of academics, hoping to recruit some of them for the new journals’ editorial boards." The domain scitechnol.com is registered to Srinu Babu G, OMICS International, 5716 Corsa Ave, Suite 110 Westlake, Los Angeles CA 91362-7354, +16.506189889, email@omicsgroup.net. You can obtain the same geographic address from InCorp Services, Inc., for $99 a year (if you pay for multiple years)..

The About Us webpage (11/27/17) advertises "global presence ... to take the high quality research work close to a wide range of ... communities." Too close for comfort perhaps. SciTechnol claims to have "104 Hybrid Access online Journals, ... 1500 Editorial team, 2 Million readers, ... More than 50,000 Facebook Likes."

Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology (JFTP)

The first Scitechnol journal that spammed me (on 12/20, 21, 22, 26/16) was the Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology (JFTP). It manages to combine "all areas related to Forensic Toxicology, Digital Forensics, Forensic Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacology on quarterly basis. ... Papers will be published approximately 15 days after acceptance." Apparently, "papers" covers a lot. "SciTechnol accepts various formats of literary works such as ... abstracts, addendums, announcements, ... annual meeting abstracts, conference proceedings, calendars, ... corrections, discussions, meeting-reports, news, obituaries, orations, product reviews, hypotheses and analyses."

The names and photos listed for JFTP editors from the US are James T Pokines, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University (who is "the Forensic Anthropologist for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Boston"); Karl A Larsen, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago; John Zheng Wang, PhD, California State University-Long Beach (a featured speaker in BIT Global's flaky conferences); Donald Siwek, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University; Fred Smith, PhD, Department of Forensic Science, University of New haven [sic]; Harvey J.M. Hou, Ph.D, Alabama State University; Lisa Reidy, PhD, Division of Clinical Pathology, University of Miami; Thomas A. Brettell, PhD, Cedar Crest College, USA; Elizabeth Laposata, Boston University; Marilyn T. Miller, Department of Forensic Science, Virginia Commonwealth University; George Thomas, Department of criminal justice & Forensic sciences, Albany state university; Jeff Hackett, United Chemical Technologies, USA ("Research interest: toxicologist").

If this journal has an editor-in-chief, it has not chosen to reveal his or her identity on the website.

Email

Journal of Clinical Images and Case Reports

• From: Journal of Clinical Images & Case Reports
  Sent: Wed 3/7/2018 5:23 AM
  Subject: Appreciation for Your Effective work || Case Reports || Clinical Images
  Dear Dr. David Kaye,
  Greetings!
  It is our pleasure to announce that Journal of Clinical Images and Case Reports has successfully entered its 2nd year of its publication journey and we are aiming to index it in SCIE by publishing peer reviewed, quality articles. We wish to continue to publish high quality articles and need your contribution in the form of Research articles/Case reports/Clinical Images/ Short Communications/ Letter to Editor/ Commentary relevant to, but not limited to clinical and medicinal field.
  I appreciate your submission to Case Reports on or before 28 March 2018. However, we may extend the time limit if you intimate us regarding the submission. ...
  Best wishes for your continuing research. Hope for a long lasting scientific relationship with you.
  Best regards,
  Journal Coordinator
  Clinical Images and Case Reports, 5716 Corsa Ave, Suite 110, Westlake, Los Angeles
  CA 91362-7354, USA, Tel: +1-650-618-1414, E-mail: Clinicalimages@scitechnol.com

Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology

• 12/20/16: Greetings from Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology. We have gone through your publication entitled “The design of “the first experimental study exploring DNA interpretation”” and are very impressed by it. We would like to know your availability of submitting such other interesting articles to our journal’s upcoming issue. ... It would be great if you submit your manuscript on or before January 15th, 2017 ... . Please revert back for any other queries. Regards, Maddula K, Journal Coordinator
  Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology, SciTechnol, 5716 Corsa Ave, Suite 110, Westlake,Los Angeles, CA 91362-7354, USA, Tel: +1 702-714-7001 (9039) extn
• 12/21/16, 12/22/16: Dear David H. Kaye, Greetings from Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology. We have gone through your publication entitled “The good, the bad, the ugly: The NAS report on strengthening forensic science in America” and are very impressed by it. ... Please revert back for any other queries. [Identical text] Regards, Maddula K ...
• 12/26/16: Dear David H. Kaye, Greetings from Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology. We have contacted you earlier through email and since we did not have the pleasure of your ensuing correspondence; we are taking the liberty of resending the mail. We are aware that you may be engaged in other activities or our message may not have successfully reached you. We would be pleased if you can spare us some time and revert back at the earliest. We have gone through your publication entitled “The good, the bad, the ugly: The NAS report on strengthening forensic science in America” and are very impressed by it. ... Please revert back for any other queries. Regards, Maddula K ...
• From: editor.jftp@scitechnol.org
  Date: 2/28/19 2:13 AM
  Subject: Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology accepting article for publication
  Dear Dr David Kaye
  Greetings from Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology ,
  Joyous to introduce you Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology a peer reviewed hybrid open access journal presently running Edition 2019, Volume 7.
  The journal provides an opportunity to scientist, researcher and professor covering the entire globe to represent their work on a single platform. Thus, we would be glad if you could acknowledge us your research in form of a research, review, short communication, case reports, mini reviews, research images, etc. from all disciplines which have relevance to practice and policy in forensic science,toxicology and pharmaceutical development.
  Topic of interest (but not limited to): press release relevant to forensic science (anatomy, language arts, chemistry, criminal mind, fingerprints and investigation), forensic neuropsychology, clinical chemistry and pharmacology, drug abuse and chemistry, and medical toxicology.
  Submission details: Manuscripts should be submitted through the online portal Drug Chemistry or the author is requested to mail the document at our e-mail address.
  Grateful, if you could submit in volume 7 on or before 15th March 2019
  Kindly acknowledge the receipt of the mail, we are awaiting for your words.
  Kind Regards,
  Journal Coordinator | Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology
  Email: forensics@escitechnol.com 40 Bloomsbury Way | Lower Ground Floor | London | United Kingdom Tel: +44-203-769-1765 | Fax: +44-203-004-1157

Journal of Veterinary Science and Medical Diagnosis

• From: Journal of Veterinary Science and Medical Diagnosis [editor.jvsmd@scitechnol.com]
  Sent: Monday, November 27, 2017 2:06 AM
  Subject: Recent Updates in Veterinary
  Dear Researcher,
  Greeting from Veterinary Science and Medical Diagnosis!! Journal of Veterinary Science and Medical Diagnosis is a hybrid journal ... Based on research interest which is within the scope of our journal, we have chosen some experts to encourage the current research and make it available to students, researchers, scientists worldwide. In this moment we found your profile with good in the current research era and gone through your recent publications which are novel. We appreciate you for your work in the current emerging trend. We are pleased to invite you to write an article or short review based on your expertise for publication in the forthcoming issue. ... Submission Last date: December 15, 2017. We hope your research work will trend to new innovation and success.
  Thanks and best regards,
  Journal Coordinator
  E-mail: editor.jvsmd@scitechnol.com | editor.jvsmd@scitechnol.org SciTechnol Tel: +1 702 714 7001 extn: 9039/9043l