Predatory Journal Risk Checker
Type a journal name or ISSN. The checker queries three live scholarly databases — OpenAlex, Crossref and DOAJ — and returns an evidence score, an indexing panel and the checks that remain yours to make.
Step 1 · Live database check
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Indexing & registration evidence
Confirm manually (no public API exists)
Read this before relying on the score. The score is a probability-style estimate computed from public database signals at the moment of search. It can be wrong: legitimate new journals score low for lack of history; hijacked websites impersonate journals whose genuine records score high; database coverage varies by field. It is evidence to weigh, never a verdict — confirm indexing at the linked sources on the day you submit.
Step 2 · Twelve red-flag signals (from the journal's website)
The databases cannot see spam emails or fake editorial boards — you can. Your answers stay in your browser.
Combined verdict: —
This tool reports verifiable signals and probability-style estimates; it maintains no blacklist and renders no judgement on any named journal. Unsure about a specific journal for a specific manuscript? Journal strategy is part of what we do.