Publication arbitrated by external peers has long been the way to ensure quality research and gives confidence that the article is of value to the reader. Predatory journals and their publications pose a global threat to the quality of scientific literature, the accuracy of educational resources and the safety of their results. The predatory publication uses an exploitative business model, poor quality control measures and a misleading publication. Given the proliferation of these journals and the extreme measures used to disguise publications of inferior quality, avoiding them can be difficult. This article aims to offer ways to avoid predatory journals for both the experienced and the inexperienced author.