# How to tell if someone is lying

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 23, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934 "2016-01-23T03:15:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/1 "2016-01-23T03:15:18Z")

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I read recently that the easiest way to tell if someone is lying is to ask them to send you their statement in an email. They had surveyed and found people were least willing to lie in such a format. Any other good ways?

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/2 "2016-01-23T04:04:45Z")

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“I like your haricut”.  
“Can you email that to me?”  
“Huh?”  
“Lying bitch!”  
mmm

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/3 "2016-01-23T04:08:55Z")

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If the lie can get them sued, I can see someone hesitate to put it in writing, but generally people who will lie to your face will lie in an email.

What sort of lies are you trying to deduce?

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**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/4 "2016-01-23T04:36:46Z")

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Are they a lawyer, teenager or politician whose mouth is moving?

Just kidding: I’m not sure exactly what you’re asking. Can you expound?

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**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/5 "2016-01-23T05:31:29Z")

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Just ask them to elaborate. Most lies depend on the person lied to not asking too many further questions.

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/6 "2016-01-23T16:33:35Z")

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For many people, you can see if their mouth is open.

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**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/7 "2016-01-23T17:02:18Z")

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Business liars, salesman liars, or social liars?

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/8 "2016-01-25T16:03:00Z")

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First ask them if they are a policeman. The police are not allowed to lie to you.

At least that’s what I’ve read on the dope. 😉

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**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-tell-if-someone-is-lying/743934/9 "2016-01-25T16:14:13Z")

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How reliable is [body language](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq-poN6sLF8) detectors?

I guess microexpression are even more accurate…