Recommendation

Caution

Overall Summary

Suspicious

Why we think so

mdpi.com is a long-established publisher of open access, peer-reviewed journals since 1996, with substantial global traffic (over 23 million monthly visits). It is widely recognized in science and education sectors, featuring secure HTTPS, reputable server infrastructure, and verified contact details. However, the publisher faces significant criticism for its publishing practices, including concerns over rapid peer review, quality control, and predatory behaviors. There is no verified evidence of fraudulent financial scams or user losses due to outright fraud, but disputes and reputational controversies around academic and ethical standards remain active.

Confidence Score

65%

Risk Insights

🌐

Strong web presence and history

Established since 1996 in academic publishing

Millions of monthly website visitors

Verified SSL and domain registration

⚠️

Controversial publishing practices

Allegations of poor peer review quality

Criticized as predatory by some academics

No confirmed financial scam but reputational risks

Contradictory Signals

The site is widely accessed and operationally legitimate, yet questions remain over content quality and ethical standards.

Signal A: High traffic and recognized domain

Signal B: Controversial reputation for academic ethics

Category Scores

Identity 90/100

Reputation 45/100

Technical 85/100

Content 50/100

Legal 60/100

Business Validity 70/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Controversies over poor peer review and predatory publishing practices undermine trustworthiness for academic use.
Persistent allegations and negative reports in academic communities about publication ethics and quality control.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain registration and SSL validity

Score: 10/100

Passed

"The domain uses major registrar Network Solutions and cloudflare nameservers adding to technical trustworthiness."

Reason: Domain mdpi.com registered since 2003 with active SSL valid till 2026 shows established and secure domain ownership.

Website traffic and ranking indicators

Score: 10/100

Passed

"Dominant traffic sources are organic search and direct visits, typical of trusted academic publishers."

Reason: High monthly visits (23.2 million) and global rank (#2791) indicate strong real user engagement and recognition.

Contact details and social media presence

Score: 80/100

Passed

"Presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn counters typical fraud red flags."

Reason: Official institutional emails and active verified social media accounts confirm genuine operational identity.

Reputation and user reports of fraud or scam behavior

Score: 40/100

Failed

"No direct verified financial fraud reported, but numerous reports of questionable academic practices."

Reason: Significant criticism of publishing ethics, peer review integrity, and predatory behaviors persists, raising red flags for reliability.

Presence on blacklists or scam databases

Score: 90/100

Passed

"Technical scans found no malware or phishing flags."

Reason: No listing on major crypto scam or phishing blacklists, supporting online safety and legitimacy.

Legal and customer dispute evidence

Score: 50/100

Failed

"Reputational controversies may affect trust but without confirmed lawsuits."

Reason: There are allegations of legal threats and reputational disputes but no public court cases indicating widespread proven fraud.

Your Next Steps

1

If you are a researcher or author, carefully assess MDPI's journal quality before submission due to concerns about peer review standards.
2

Verify publication fees and policies thoroughly to avoid unexpected costs.
3

Report any suspicious email solicitations claiming affiliation with MDPI.
4

Check for updates on academic integrity investigations involving MDPI journals.
5

Avoid using MDPI as a sole source for critical research decisions without corroboration from other reputable publishers.

Evidence & Citations

MDPI Publisher Profile on SimilarTech
Provides traffic, technology stack, and domain information.
MDPI WHOIS and SSL Details
Confirms domain registration and SSL certification details.
Public Criticism and Investigation on MDPI Publishing Practices
Discusses academic controversies and allegations without confirmed fraud.
MDPI Contact Information from Website
Official email and social media accounts verifying publisher presence.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

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