It seems like it's being done entirely on the publisher end, with them – or friends – benefiting:
> For example, a single researcher who was associated with Technoscience Academy benefited from more than 3,000 additional illegitimate citations. Some journals from the same publisher benefited from a couple hundred additional sneaked citations.
Perhaps this publisher or others also offer this as some kind of backroom deal / service.
> For example, a single researcher who was associated with Technoscience Academy benefited from more than 3,000 additional illegitimate citations. Some journals from the same publisher benefited from a couple hundred additional sneaked citations.
Perhaps this publisher or others also offer this as some kind of backroom deal / service.