Let’s call ‘pretexting’ what it really is: lying

Regarding “Former HP chairwoman cleared in ‘pretext’ case” (March 15):

In the headlines in the Business section, The Times used the word “pretext” and “pretexting,” both in quotes.

The story itself states that new laws are proposed to punish pretexting.

From my understanding, this word was conjured up to describe the practice of pretending to be someone else.

Um, isn’t that just “lying”? Do we not have laws against that already?

Wasn’t the whole basis of this scandal the fact that some private investigators lied about who they were?

Does using the invented word “pretext” somehow soften it?

Hank Lee

Santa Clarita