Candidates for Removal from Scopus: Third Edition
My name is Vasyl Malets, Director of Futurity Publishing and author of the analytical series “Journals That May Lose Scopus Indexing”.
This is the first issue of 2026, and it’s a very telling one.
This time, our list includes four journals — plus one fake-journal case that fooled 1,000+ researchers worldwide.
In this issue, we will cover:
1 Q1 journal that already shows dangerous editorial practices;
2 Q4 journals operating under predatory/commercial publication models;
1 fake website case that misled more than 1,000 researchers worldwide.
Unfortunately, everything in today’s list is not a “one-time mistake”, but deep-rooted predatory behavior:
mass publication without proper peer review, ignoring academic standards, and a focus not on science — but on fast profit.
These journals most often lead to:
wasted time and money for authors;
problems with publication recognition and reporting;
a high risk that the journal will be removed from Scopus in the near future.
In this article, we break down each journal in detail, explain the key red flags authors should notice, and why publishing in such outlets in 2026 is basically high-stakes roulette (and the house is always the publisher).
List of journals
E-ISSN: 2385-409X
🔗 Scopus link:
https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21100466202
🔗 Journal website:
https://farmclin.com/volume/1
Overview
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacy was reinstated in Scopus in 2025 after a previous discontinuation. Immediately after returning, the journal began demonstrating a classic predatory operating model focused purely on mass publishing for financial gain.
Within one year, the journal published 300+ articles of questionable quality — an abnormal output for a journal claiming a clinical scope. At the time of analysis, none of these articles are indexed in Scopus, and there is a high probability that indexing may never happen.
Even if partial indexing occurs, given the editorial approach and quality level, these publications may later be de-indexed during Scopus reviews, and the journal itself may be removed again.
Journal profile
Quartile: Q4
Country: Kuwait
Field: Clinical Pharmacy
Publication fee: 300 USD
Key violations
mass publication with no reasonable volume restrictions;
peer review absent in practice or purely formal;
low scientific and methodological quality of publications;
mismatch between declared scope and actual article content.
Risk assessment
Probability of Scopus removal: 100%
Probability of non-indexing or later de-indexing of articles: 100%
E-ISSN: 2408-0071
🔗 Scopus link:
https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21101061822
🔗 Journal website:
https://sci-cult.com/archives
Overview
Scientific Culture formally holds Q1 status in multiple subject areas, but its current editorial policy has long stopped matching that level. Originally, it positioned itself as a specialized journal in culture, history, and archaeology.
Over time, the journal moved away from its academic path and shifted into aggressive commercialization. Today, it publishes “everything about everything,” in large volumes, with no real thematic or quality boundaries.
A particularly alarming signal is the officially stated timeline:
peer review: up to 1 week
publication: up to 1 month
For a Q1 journal in the humanities, these timelines are not compatible with real, full peer review. The publication fee is £1200, which clearly signals the priority: revenue first, science later.
Journal profile
Quartile: Q1
Country: China
Field: Culture, History, Archaeology
Publication fee: 1200 GBP
Key violations
sharp increase in the number of issues and published articles;
lack of proper peer review (unrealistic timelines);
publication of low scientific-quality materials;
systematic publication of articles outside the journal’s Aims & Scope;
replacement of an academic model with a commercial one.
Risk assessment
Probability of Scopus removal: 100%
Probability of de-indexing already indexed articles: 50–80%
⚠️ Key takeaway for authors:
This is a classic example of a journal that still “looks like Q1 on paper”, but based on editorial behavior is already in a critical-risk zone. Publishing here in 2026 is a serious bet against your own research reputation.
ISSN: 1053-7899
🔗 Scopus link:
https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/5300152536
🔗 Journal website:
https://mswmanagementj.com/index.php/home/issue/view/22
Overview
MSW Management began gradually increasing publication volume in 2024, and at that stage most articles still formally matched the journal’s Aims & Scope — the early warning signs didn’t look critical.
But in 2025, the journal sharply changed its operating model and switched to aggressive commercialization. It began mass-publishing articles from completely unrelated fields — from cybersecurity and IT to arts and education — while its official profile remains “management”.
In practice, the journal dropped thematic boundaries and started accepting “everything”, which is a textbook sign of predatory transformation. Total publications in 2025 exceeded 300 articles, many of which show low scientific quality and do not match the stated scope.
Journal profile
Quartile: Q4
Country: USA
Field: Management
Key violations
mass publication in 2025 (300+);
systematic publication outside Aims & Scope;
low article quality;
lack of full peer review in practice;
shift from academic publishing to commercial publishing.
Risk assessment
Probability of Scopus removal: 100%
Probability of de-indexing articles published in 2025: 60–70%
⚠️ Important warning: Fake “Scopus journal” websites
We separated this case from the “candidates for removal” list for one reason: to warn researchers.
🔗 Official Scopus page:
https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/11600153426
The problem is not the journal itself — but the fact that a fake publication scheme was built around it.
In Google, the top result for the journal query is this site:
🔗 https://acr-journal.com
On that website:
500+ articles by researchers from around the world were published;
an ISSN is listed and looks legitimate;
Scopus indexing is claimed;
an APC is set at 500 USD;
only issues from 2023–2025 are available — which alone should raise suspicion.
🔴 Key issue:
This website has no connection to the real journal indexed in Scopus.
How we verified it in practice
Open Scopus.
Open Advances in Consumer Research.
Go to indexed articles.
Click the publisher link from the Scopus source page.
A completely different website opens — not acr-journal.com.
Moreover, not a single article published via acr-journal.com is indexed in Scopus.
An additional, unpleasant detail:
the Scopus page displayed an incorrect ISSN, which significantly helped scammers. This is a Scopus-side mistake — but exactly these mistakes become fertile ground for abuse.
Conclusion
In this issue, we reviewed journals across different quartiles — from Q4 to Q1 — and also showed a separate case involving a fake journal website actively misleading authors.
This analysis confirms a simple reality:
neither a quartile nor the fact of being listed in Scopus automatically guarantees a safe publication. Even highly ranked journals can drift off the academic track and begin operating purely for fast profit.
Most often, the trap catches authors who need a quick publication and do not analyze journal behavior, publication volume, and Aims & Scope alignment. The result is usually the same: lost money, lost time, and problems with publication recognition.
It’s also important to remember that in 2026, risks come not only from journals themselves, but also from fake websites that imitate indexed sources. In such cases, even having a Scopus source page does not protect an author from making a costly mistake.
That’s why before submitting, you should avoid rushing and always verify a journal comprehensively — or work with specialists who deal with publications daily and understand real-world risks. Quick decisions almost always end up being more expensive than a careful, verified approach.
🛡️ How to Protect Your Publications
Publishing in Scopus is not only about prestige — it’s also your money, time, and reputation.
Unfortunately, no journal can guarantee permanent indexing stability.
That’s why it’s crucial to work with experts who verify journals before submission and help you avoid risky or deceptive outlets.
Need a publication in Scopus or Web of Science — without risk or stress?
Order “Journal Selection & Submission Support” from Futurity Publishing.
We handle the entire process for you:
from verifying and selecting a reliable journal for your topic — to the final publication of your article.
No predatory journals. No delays. No indexing surprises.
📩 Submit your request — and we will find the best journal option for you today.
This was Vasyl Malets
Scientometrics expert and founder of Futurity Research Publishing.
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