If it is for secrecy then why not delete the information and inform those who ask they do not hold such information? The issue was the discrepancy when a third

If it is for secrecy then why not delete the information and inform those who ask they do not hold such information? The issue was the discrepancy when a third party tried to verify, and I'm sure third parties would quickly learn to work around the fact? Instead making everyone associates is like an error propagating far from it's call site until an exception (this article) is raised.