How to Spot a Liar

Introduction

• Presenter: David Mohammed
• Title: Forensic accountant and fraud investigation expert
• Experience: 20 years
• Topic: Identifying when someone is lying

The Foundation of Lying

• Lies often begin in childhood to avoid punishment (e.g., lying about eating candy).
• Lies are used as a defense mechanism to avoid negative consequences.

Physical Signs of Lying

• Common signs (though not foolproof):
  • Face touching
  • Covering the mouth
  • Touching the throat
  • Pausing before answering
  • Repeating themselves
  • Using full forms instead of contractions (e.g., “I did not” instead of “I didn’t”).
  • Eyes or feet pointing towards the door
  • Increased blinking
  • Pupil dilation
• Important: No single sign confirms lying; look for clusters of signs.

Procedure to Catch a Liar

1. **Establish Baseline: **

   • Ask non-threatening questions to understand normal behavior.
   • Look for quick answers with no delay or pauses.
   • Observe gestures, posture, and eye contact.

2. Shift to Hot Spot:

   • Ask open-ended and provoking questions to induce stress.
   • Look for changes in baseline behavior.
   • Watch for grooming behaviors, face touching, and body squirming.

3. **Observe Body Language: **

   • Signs such as closing up body, nail biting, fidgeting.
   • Good liars may not show obvious signs but look for baseline deviations.
   • Watch for lack of eye contact.

4. **Micro Expressions: **

   • Quick, involuntary facial expressions, e.g., nostril flaring, lip biting.
   • Difficult to detect without training but are key indicators.
   • No universal micro expression, but changes are noticeable.

5. **Changes in Cadence, Tone, and Sentence Structure: **

   • Liars might speak quickly or slowly.
   • Voice may drop or rise in pitch.
   • Use of complex sentences, avoiding contractions.

6. **Focus and Pronouns: **

   • Liars deflect focus from themselves (e.g., using “they” instead of “I”).
   • Look for relief when they shift focus.

7. **Inconsistent Details: **

   • Look for details that do not make practical sense.
   • Sequence of actions should be logical and natural.

8. **Insincere Emotions: **

   • Genuine emotions involve specific muscle groups (e.g., true smiles).
   • Long-held smiles or mixed emotions can be red flags.

9. **Inconsistent Communication: **

   • Mismatch between verbal responses and physical gestures (e.g., nodding while saying “no”).
   • Storytelling inconsistencies, especially under pressure.
   • Technique: Ask them to tell the story backwards.

10. **Too Much Detail: **

• Overly detailed responses can indicate fabrication.
• Excessive descriptions often mean the person is overcompensating.

Techniques to Spot a Liar

1. Open-Ended Questions:

   • Ask the same question multiple times to check for consistency.

2. Element of Surprise:

   • Unexpected questions can reveal inconsistencies.

3. Reversed Storytelling:

   • Asking the story backwards to disrupt rehearsed lies.

4. No Delay Response:

   • Immediate responses can indicate pre-planned answers.

5. Detailed and Lengthy Answers:

   • Liars tend to over-explain.

6. Saying “No”:

   • Look for physical tells when answering “no” (e.g., closing eyes, looking away).

Conclusion

• No single method is foolproof; look for clusters and consistent changes.
• Practice and training improve ability to detect lies.

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