Austin Publishing Group

Austin Publishing Group sports an unbelievable number of journals, from the Austin Journal of Allergy to the Annals of Yoga and Physical Therapy..How real they all are is a question I do not have the time the answer. Austin Statistics, for example, has only one issue. It consists of three articles. One is a page about the journal itself, which begins, "It's a real privilege and high honor for me to write for the Inaugural issue of Austin Statistics. The publication of Austin Statistics is indeed welcomed news! I also wish to extend my congratulations to the Austin Publishing Group and the Editor for assembling a diverse group of talented professionals to serve on the editorial board of the journal." 1/ If the journal has an editor, it prefers to keep his or her identity a secret. This slim ouvre of June 27, 2014, continues to be the "current issue" (8/23/17) on the website.

In addition to these telltale signs, Austin Publishing Group made it onto Beall's list of predatory journals and has been the subject of complaints for its spam.. It is not obvious who is behind this enterprise. The domain austinpublishinggroup.com is registered to www.crazydomains.com. To hide the actual registrant, Crazy Domains named the registrant as "Domain Administrator." More revealing is the address -- Level 4 Dynasty, A Wing, Andheri-kurla Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400069, India, +64.800128128.

The Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology, which contacted me, lists no editor on its website. The editorial board (8/22/17) is huge, and has the following names from US institutions on it:
⊗ Frank Dorman, The Pennsylvania State University
⊗ Mohammed Al-Tikriti, Western University of Health Sciences
⊗ Ron Thrasher, Oklahoma State University
⊗ Chenxu Yu, Lowa State University
⊗ Peter Valentin, University Of New Haven
⊗ Erica Hutton, Trine University
⊗ Raymond Hsieh, University of California
⊗ Andra Lewis, University of North Texas
⊗ Justin N. Crowl, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
⊗ Scott M. Moody, Ohio University
⊗ Igor Ovchinnikov, University of North Dakota
⊗ A Midori Albert, University of North Carolina Wilmington
⊗ Lori E Baker, Baylor University
⊗ Victoria Beck, University of Wisconsin
⊗ Steven Lee, San Jose State University
⊗ Anthony Tu, Colorado State University
⊗ David Bradley Rivers, Loyola University Maryland
⊗ Stetler, Dean A., The University of Kansas
⊗ Heo Chong Chin, Texas A&M University
⊗ Jagdish Khubchandani, Ball State University
⊗ Michael Lamport Commons, Harvard Medical School
⊗ Mahua Choudhury, Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy
⊗ Francis Stephen Bridges, The University of West Florida
⊗ Panagiota Korenis, Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center
⊗ Kenneth Blum, University of Florida
⊗ Julia M. Mack, Gannon University
⊗ Natalie R. Langley, Lincoln Memorial University
⊗ Matthew Owen Howard, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The journal has one "special issue" so far -- on "Forensic Case Studies." It has a grand total of three articles, none of which is a case report. Other Austin journals have had a dog on their editorial boards.
Email
Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology
  • From: Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology [ajfsc@austinjournals.com]
    Sent: Monday, August 21, 2017 11:55 PM
    Subject: Invitation: Call for Special Issue on Forensic Dentistry
    Greetings! At the onset, we cordially invite you to submit a manuscript to the upcoming special issue on “Forensic Dentistry” to be published in the journal Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology. This special issue of the journal will contain Original Research, Review, Case Report, Short Communication, Case series, Clinical Image, Perspective manuscripts. The aim of the special issue is to advance the state of knowledge and expertise in the field “Forensic Dentistry”. Timeline for manuscript submission would be on or before September 25, 2017. All manuscripts will undergo a meaningful scrutiny and review by eminent experts in the field. Editing and publishing will be of course of a very high standard. I do look forward for your positive response. Please respond to this invitation within 48 hrs.
    Best regards,
    Emily Hammerl
    Editorial Manager - Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology
    Austin Publications LLC, 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07311, USA, Tel: +1-201-655-7075, Fax: +1-201-603-6413, E-Mail: ajfsc@austinjournals.com, www.austinpublishinggroup.org
    This is not a Spam E-mail - if you do not want to get any further emails from the journal, please unsubscribe by sending us a confirmation email.
  • From: Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology
    Sent: Sept. 6, 2017
    Subject: Invitation: Call for Special Issue on Forensic Anthropology
    Dear Dr. David H Kaye,
    Greetings! We are pleased to announce a special issue focused on “Forensic Anthropology”. With reference to your previous publications and expertise in the subject, I cordially invite you to submit a manuscript for publication in the upcoming special issue of Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology. We are inviting leading authors and researchers to submit an Original Research Article or Review or Case Report or Clinical Image for publication in the upcoming special issue.
    Deadline for manuscript submissions would be on or before October 15, 2017. All manuscripts will undergo a meaningful scrutiny and review by eminent experts in the field of Forensic Anthropology.
    We are looking forward to your positive response. Please respond to this invitation within next 48hrs.
    Regards,
    Emily Hammerl
    Editorial Manager - Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology, Austin Publications LLC, 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07311, USA, Tel: +1-201-655-7075, Fax: +1-201-603-6413, E-Mail: forensic@austinjournals.com, www.austinpublishinggroup.com
  • From: Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology [ajfsc@austinpublishers.info]
    Sent: Tue 11/14/2017 5:51 AM
    Subject: Follow up Email: Request to Submit Manuscript on Forensic Science
    Dear Dr. David H Kaye,
    Greetings for the day! We would like to invite you to submit a manuscript to our open access journal Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology ... related to original and latest advancements in the field of Forensic Science. The journal accepts Original Research Articles, Review Articles, Case Reports, Short Communication, Editorial and Clinical Image on all the aspects of Forensic Science and its Research. Timeline for manuscript submission would be January 10, 2018. ... Please respond to this Email within 48 hours. We are looking forward to your positive response.
    Best Regards,
    Emily Hammerl
    Editorial Manager - Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology, Austin Publications LLC 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07311, USA, Tel: +1-201-655-7075, Fax: +1-201-603-6413, E-Mail: ajfsc@austinpublishers.info, www.austinpublishinggroup.com
  • From: Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology [editor.forensic@austinpub.org]
    Sent: Fri 3/16/2018 7:32 AM
    Subject: We are there with you in Publication of your Manuscript
    Dear Dr. David H Kaye,
    Greetings! Acknowledging your expertise and excellence as an eminent researcher/physician [Huh?] in this field, I request your participation with the contribution of your research work to our Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology. We are there with you and we will help you in publishing your article.
    This journal accepts all type of articles like Research, Review, Case Report, Short Communication, Clinical Image, 2 Page Editorial, Letter to Editor…etc., Timeline line for the manuscript submission is April 30, 2018. Please respond to this invitation within 48hrs. Anticipating your valuable response! Feel free to ask us if any queries.
    Best regards,
    Emily Hammerl
    Editorial Manager
  • From: Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology [forensic@austinpublishers.info>]
    Date: Wed 1/17/2018 6:43 AM
    Subject:
    Dear Dr. David H Kaye,
    Greetings for the day! We would like to invite you to submit a manuscript to our open access journal Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology.
    Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology is an open access, peer reviewed, scholarly journal dedicated to publish articles related to original and latest advancements in the field of Forensic Science. The journal accepts Original Research Articles, Review Articles, Case Reports, Short Communication, Editorial and Clinical Image on all the aspects of Forensic Science and its Research.
    Timeline for manuscript submission would be February 28, 2018. Submit your manuscript as an email attachment ... Please respond to this Email within 48 hours. We are looking forward to your positive response. Feel free to contact us for any more information.
    Best Regards,
    Emily Hammerl
    Editorial Manager - Austin Journal of Forensic Science and Criminology
    Austin Publications LLC, 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07311, USA Tel: +1-201-655-7075 Fax: +1-201-603-6413 E-Mail: forensic@austinpublishers.info www.austinpublishinggroup.com
    This is not a Spam E-mail - if you do not want to get any further emails from the journal, please unsubscribe by sending us a confirmation email. ← Confirming that you have a good email address for more spam?
Note
  1. At least one of these talented professionals is misidentified in the list of names and affiliations that Austin advertises. "Nina Wang, Arizona State University" appears to be an ASU alumna who has never held a faculty position there and was appointed to the editorial board within a year or so of earning her doctoral degree in industrial engineering.

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