1) I rarely get any feedback, particularly not feedback as detailed as this, with a single reason for failure
2) Employers habitually bend the truth around interviews: interviewing for jobs that don't exist, that are already filled, reneging offers
3) Not being hired after an interview doesn't mean you failed it. They're more like dates than exams.
I actually don't think it's good to ask for feedback. Mainly for the reason you said here:
> They're more like dates than exams
It's much better to look at your own performance critically than to trust the feedback you get. Because the feedback you get (if you get any at all) is unlikely to be that useful or that trustworthy.
1) Is this word for word what they told him?
2) If so, why did he believe them?