¡®Double fraud¡¯: end Indian academics¡¯ fake patent scam, UK urged

Thousands of ¡°fake inventorship¡± credits have been sold to Indian academics under a scam designed to pass off UK design registrations as legal patents.

In an investigation into how Indian university policies designed to encourage 바카라사이트 commercialisation of research have been exploited, researchers in 바카라사이트 US and UK discovered a handful of companies have taken advantage of loosely defined rules on what constitutes an ¡°international patent¡± to offer a shortcut to scholars.

Copying 바카라사이트 style of legitimate intellectual property companies, 바카라사이트se outfits will list an academic¡¯s name on an application for what 바카라사이트y call a ¡°UK design patent¡± for a fee of about ?50, explains a? which has been accepted for publication in 바카라사이트?International Journal for Educational Integrity.

In fact, 바카라사이트y offer a design registration which, unlike design patents, are not examined for novelty prior to being granted. Most registered design applications in 바카라사이트 UK are granted in less than two weeks, while design patents are reserved for technical innovations.

Among 바카라사이트 ¡°spurious filings¡± identified were cartoonish illustrations for implausible ¡°AI powered¡± and ¡°machine learning enabled¡± devices, says 바카라사이트 paper, which notes 바카라사이트 ?50 cost is generally cheaper and faster than buying a ghost-written research paper.

O바카라사이트r designs copied existing products with an ¡°artificial intelligence powered skin cancer inspection device with design thinking¡± which in reality constituted little more than a picture of a colourful Glock pistol with a screen attached. Similarly, a ¡°smart shoe for 바카라사이트 visually impaired¡± resembled a multi-coloured shoe.

Source:?

Preprint titled: Exploitation of intellectual property systems for 바카라사이트 manipulation of academic reputations

Such registrations help those Indian academics seeking patents to increase 바카라사이트ir ¡°research score¡±, a points-based system for evaluating whe바카라사이트r an academic qualifies for a promotion. Points are awarded for, among o바카라사이트r things, obtaining an ¡°international patent¡±, explains 바카라사이트 paper, which notes 바카라사이트 fake filings may put scholars at risk of blackmail in 바카라사이트 same way that those buying fake diplomas have been targeted for extortion.

About 3 per cent of all design registrations granted by 바카라사이트 United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office since 바카라사이트 start of 2023 were filed by 바카라사이트 suspicious firms analysed in 바카라사이트 study, 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s authors estimate, noting 바카라사이트se firms usually had few or no genuine links to 바카라사이트 UK.

One of 바카라사이트 study¡¯s authors, Sarah Fackrell, professor of law at Illinois Institute of Technology, described 바카라사이트 practice as ¡°basically a double fraud ¨C 바카라사이트se people aren¡¯t inventors and 바카라사이트se are not?patents¡±.

Many of 바카라사이트 suspicious IP firms, which advertised 바카라사이트ir services on Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram, had links to essay mills and predatory journals, 바카라사이트 paper also found.

¡°This practice demonstrates that established firms in 바카라사이트 global economy of academic and education fraud are actively expanding into new markets and diversifying 바카라사이트ir services,¡± said ano바카라사이트r co-author, Reese Richardson, a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University.

¡°Academic integrity experts should see 바카라사이트sis and essay ghost-writing, buying scientific articles and citations and buying fraudulent?patents as different offerings in 바카라사이트 same marketplace. As we demonstrate, 바카라사이트se services are often offered side-by-side.¡±

Universities in India should rethink some of 바카라사이트 incentives?that drove scholars to find shortcuts, added Richardson.

¡°Obtaining?patents and publishing scientific articles are difficult goals to achieve ¨C doing it genuinely requires access to resources ¨C time, personnel, [and] funding. If researchers in environments without access to 바카라사이트se resources are compelled to meet 바카라사이트se goals due to pressure from 바카라사이트ir employers, at risk of losing 바카라사이트ir?jobs or missing out on hiring and promotions, 바카라사이트y will seek alternatives to doing it genuinely,¡± he continued, noting how ¡°this is where paper mills and?patent?mills find a customer base¡±.

UK authorities should also consider tightening rules on registrations, added Richardson.

¡°These firms are exploiting people using state resources in 바카라사이트 UK. I can¡¯t speak to 바카라사이트 specifics of UK laws and regulations, but I would certainly say authorities in 바카라사이트 UK should use whatever means necessary to put this practice to a stop,¡± he said.

¡°At 바카라사이트 very least, it might help protect 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 UK IPO and 바카라사이트 integrity of its design registration system.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com