Inside The Weird World Of Predatory Journals

Fake scientific journals were developed using a model pushed by the tobacco industry to counter the reports of the bad effects of smoking.
They accelerated with the revelation that global warming was causing a decline in the polar bear population.

There used to be a web site run by Jeffery Beall that tracked these fake journals but it was taken down last Jan. due to legal and political threats.
Here's a Wayback Machine Archive of the site with a very extensive listing of these fake journals.

Those who wish to discredit science for political and monetary gains have developed a seven step process based on the U.S. Creel Committee, which developed propaganda techniques to support participation in WWI.

1. Introduce phony science by publishing papers that cherry pick valid scientific data out of context and then present them in a way that appears to contradict established science. Or just lie.
2. Use PR firms to develop fake news stories to be released to the press.
3. Develop fake front groups to hold rallies, media stunts, paid advertising, and political endorsements. For example the House of Representatives received letters purporting to come from the NAACP. In fact the letters came from a Washington D.C. PR firm representing coal companies.
4. Pay dubious scientists to publish fake papers and make public appearances to create uncertainties and denials of scientific facts.
5. Use talk radio and cable news flunkies to push the material generated in step four.

6. Enlist political hacks in the government to use this material to support speeches and legislation designed to meet the desired ends.

7. Now that the desired message has been pushed by fake scientists, sloppy journalism, partisan politicians, religious fanatics, and actors; industry leaders can come out of the shadows and offer to "protect" the public from the " controversy" and "uncertainties" of science.

Fake news.