Then it should be called "fishing"...if these people are trying to fish your password, private keys, bank info, etc.
The word was poorly chosen from the beginning. Everyone should stop using it. It makes no sense.
This really reminds me about pointless arguments about how to pronounce GIF... even the suggested pronunciation by its creators is never seen as definitive because there will always be people out there who think of language in their own rigid terms.
Phishing has been in use for 20 years and is accepted terminology.