Warning to national media regarding Steven Frischling

We contacted national media outlets to warn them about associating with Steven Frischling, including ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, Fox News, CNN, NPR, Newsweek, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, US News and World Report, Associated Press, and USA Today.

An edited version of our warning (leaving out sensitive information) is below:

Dear media,

I'd like to warn you that an individual who recently has been used as a news source on airline travel is a fabulist and fraud in the vein of Stephen Glass.

According to his various websites, Steven Frischling claims to be a "globe hopping professional photographer, airline emerging media consultant working with large global airlines" who has "racked up more than 1,000,000 miles since he started to track his mileage in 2005."

In reality, he is a failed photographer who has invented an online persona to seek attention and profit. He has been expelled from professional organizations for his behavior and has no long-term clients or references. I believe he has used his inflated resume to gain contracts with notable corporations and publications, but given further scrutiny, there is a suspicious lack of long-term credibility in his employment history.

I'm alarmed to see him being quoted by national media in several recent articles. I have no doubt that his recent claim to have "interviewed 20 TSA agents" is an exaggeration or pure fabrication.

DO NOT use this individual as a source UNLESS he can verify every detail he is "reporting" to you, by producing credible witnesses, receipts and credit card statements, audio tapes of interviews, etc.

While much of the blog (fishfraud.blogspot.com) serves to make fun of him, this notice is very serious. Please pass this information on to your reporters, and urge them to do background checks on ALL bloggers used as sources.

I wish to remain anonymous because he is a bizarre individual, and I do not want him to show up on my doorstep. However, you may contact me at fishfraud@yahoo.co.uk if you need additional information.