Fake, 'scam' or 'predatory' conferences have become more common in Covid times. Registration is taken, but there is no conference and no means of retrieving the funds.

Signs to look out for are:

• an overly ambitious title (e.g., 'international' or 'global')
• a scientific programme that is very broad and difficult to access
• a website with spelling and grammatical errors
• a mismatch between the profile of the conference and the sponsors involved
• missing or suspicious organiser details (no conference secretariat details, or secretariat in an “odd” location)
• similar name to another existing conference
• the conference or its organisers have known associates with links to suspicious conferences or journals
• fees are higher than normal, or there is a charge to speak or to submit a poster
• if the conference is unusually frequent

For more information on these scam conferences, read up on ‘Red flags: How to spot a predatory conference’. 

You may also wish to utilise a Conference Checklist, Conference Evaluation Tool, or a Conference Checker to help you make the right decision before registering to attend any event.