How to Tell If Someone is Lying to You

We have all said a lie at least one time during our life. It's likewise safe to say that somebody has told you a lie too. When we figure it out, the result is that we feel the pain of betrayal. Interestingly, there are ways to detect lies.

Here are several things to watch out for:

1. Observe body language. Hints that a person could be lying are fidgeting, playing with the hair, or wringing the hands. This is not a foolproof way though since it could just be that the individual is shy or uneasy.

2. A good indication is when a person crosses the arms across the body or places a barrier in between. Examples of these barriers are bags, cups, or books.

3. A person who lies generally avoids engaging in prolonged eye contact. When you try to look him or her in the eye, they will fidget and will instead stare at unimportant things such as the walls or the ceiling.

4. One of the most obvious giveaways is inconsistency in their stories. A liar can’t possibly keep up with all the lies being told. He or she will mess up the details in some way.

5. Look for the tiny details. If they only speak in general terms and avoid providing specific names or places, it’s a good bet that they’re lying.

6. Are they speaking in a higher pitch or lower pitch than usual?
When people lie, the tone of voice changes.

7. Look for actions that could be construed as hesitating. If they clear their voice, breathe deeply, or take a pregnant pause before speaking, chances are the next sentence that comes out is a lie.

8. Observe their eye movement. While the person is conversing, watch where they eyes are looking at. If it’s towards the right, they are searching through their memory for their response. If they look towards the left, it could be that they're by now fabricating lies.

9. A common sign that a person is lying is when he or she changes the topic. When an individual unexpectedly switches to a different topic that is so out of line with what you were talking about, it is indeed suspicious.

10. Another type of behavior that’s doubtful is when the person avoids the use of pronouns like “we” or “I.” Liars frequently use sarcasm or humor in order to veer away from a subject.

11. Some liars do feel guilt and when their back is up on the wall, they will express anger and may even storm off.

12. Someone who touches his or her nose frequently could be lying. So does a person who’s sweating terribly, breathing heavily, or someone whose jaw is tight all of a sudden.

13. If you cross-examine these liars, they will not remember the details of their lie. They will also do anything to avert detection. Most of them show a burst of anger or they leave the scene.

14. A person who's getting uncomfortable due to the lie he or she is presently saying commonly touches the face frequently. The higher the part of the face is that the person is touching, the more extensive the lie is.

15. When you’re confident of what you’re saying, you would be sitting up straight. A person who’s hooked over especially with the hands inside the pockets are showing their insecurity. There are studies to support that this type of posture is suggestive of an individual who has a disposition to lie.

If you have a child and you find out that he or she has picked up the habit of deceptive lying, do whatever you can to put a stop to it. Study shows that the habit could start at around five years old. With these tips, you can quickly detect a liar and never have to fall for their tricks.