How to Spot a Liar

Do you know when someone is lying to you?

Body language is one of the best indicators for spotting a liar, and many of us know what to look for in a 'classic' liar - the shifty eyes, uncomfortable gaze, can't look you in the eye type of liar. However, the modern liar is a bit better at hiding his deceit than that. So if the liar is good at his game, how can you know he's lying? That's what we are going to look at in this article, ways to spot a liar.

First, in order to spot a liar, you really need to be a little less trusting of people in general. Those who trust implicitly and believe in the goodness of human nature above all else will miss the signs and symptoms of a liar until it is too late. That's not to say you should assume everyone lies or everyone will lie at some point, but you should at least be aware of the fact that people can and sometimes do lie, and when they do, you should be prepared to see the symptoms of it before the lies affect you.

So let's talk about different ways to spot a liar. Remember, as you read this list, none of these things by themselves actually mean a person is lying. It's always best to take the entire situation into perspective and see if more of these signs show up than not. Just exhibiting one or two of these signs doesn't necessarily mean someone has or is lying to you.

When a person is lying, their body may give away clues to the deception. Watch for things such as:

Body Language Clues to Spot a Liar

• Covering their mouth when speaking
  
• Crossing their arms in front of themselves as a barrier
  
• Repeatedly crossing their legs and uncrossing them
  
• Stuffing their hands in their pants pockets and fidgeting
  
• Unable to look directly in your eyes
  
• Fixated staring directly at you
  
• Eyes darting around the room
  
• Licking their lips repeatedly
  
• Blinking rapidly or not blinking at all
  

Verbal Language Clues to Spot a Liar

• Stuttering when speaking
  
• Repeating themselves after they have made their point
  
• Long pauses in their speech, as though they are
  
• Clearing their throat frequently
  
• Voice rising in pitch, statements sound like questions at the end
  
• Answering a question with a question
  
• Repeating your question rather than answering it
  
• Mumbling