Misleading Publisher Email Promises Paid Stipend, Delivers Lottery

An email from a reputable higher education publisher just landed in my inbox. “Paid Invitation to Review Digital, Print Products.”

But the actually messages says “If you complete the survey by July 21st, 2015, your name will be entered into a drawing to receive one of three $50 Visa Gift Cards.”

Hm… how would Reputable Academic Publisher like it if I “paid” for their products by taking dozens of titles from their shelves, and then holding a lottery to decide which three authors actually got my money?

I was so annoyed by the misleading message that, instead of spending a few minutes taking their survey, I wrote this blog entry.