How to Tell if Somebody is Lying

Anybody who claims that they have never told a lie in their life is lying. The truth is that we all tell lies, even if they're only white lies. There are some classic ways to tell if somebody is fibbing. Pay attention to them and you can become a walking lie detector.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Ask questions. Most lies have holes. The best way to tell if somebody is telling a lie is to catch them flopping on their own story. So ask questions, notice what facts don't connect and ask for additional information to explain the discrepancies. Eventually you'll catch the liar in the act.

2. Read body language. Some people might shift their eyes upwards, and avoid eye contact, or act fidgety. However, sophisticated liars are much more subtle. Be aware of "tells," behavior a person uses only at certain times. For instance, a liar might bite down on his lower lip when he lies or suck in his cheeks. He may speak more rapidly, hoping to get the lie over. It takes time to differentiate a tell from typical behavior, but once you do, spotting a liar becomes easy.

3. Ask for a replay. A day or two after hearing the story, ask the suspected liar to repeat it. Most often even the best liars will goof up in the retelling. It is up to you to remember the original story so that you can catch them lying in the second version.

4. Reason psychologically. Often there is a good reason why somebody will tell a lie. Perhaps they fear getting into trouble, or perhaps they are embarrassed and feel a need to cover up the truth. If you confront the liar, show compassion and ask the person why he avoided telling the truth.