Self-Improvement
7 Phrases People Commonly Use when they’re Lying
You remember Pinocchio? Yes the wooden kid. His nose grew every time he was lying. In the world today, however, liars aren’t punished if they’re not caught. Even if their nose was growing, plastic surgery is so eminent, they will get that done too!
It is not an easy task to tell if someone is lying to you. While some are bad liars and can be spotted very easily, some are cunning masters of deception.
So what should one do to identify the latter category of liars? The best way is to examine what they say as opposed to examining their actions. Pay close attention to the words or phrases they use to sideline all doubts against them.
We have prepared a list of 7 things that liars usually say in order to avoid detection:
1. “It can’t be proved”
This totally suggests that they have committed a mistake but since there is no proof for the same, they will not admit it.
2. “That’s about it”
When someone consciously withholds information, they will be careful with their words. If you notice someone using this phrase, know that they might be lying or keeping something from you. If not, then they wouldn’t have used the word “about”.
3. “I don’t remember that”
Memory lapses are quite common for liars. You must have heard that one of the most challenging things about lying is that you have to keep track of your lies. If by chance you catch their lie, they will simply deny having any memory of saying or doing something. It helps them cover their deception. Quite convenient, isn’t it?
Must-Read: Nobody Can Ever Lie To You Again If You Know These 34 Body Language Skills
4. “I have no idea what you’re talking about”
This is known as out-right denial. People who are liars attempt to deny all at once. You know that they are aware of what you are talking about, but they will not own up to their falsehood. It is very hard to make such people accept their own lies.
5. “You are accusing me?”
Oh, the innocent expressions when liars say this little phrase! That mocking smile on their face is just unbearable. They use it to turn the tables on you in order to make you look like a fool who is suspicious of them. By doing this they will switch on your defense mode and the whole purpose of the conversation changes. Do not fall for this!
6. “Now why would I do that?”
Instead of replying to your questions or comments, they will start cross questioning you. This is the way in which they trap others so that they do not have to answer anything. If they start asking for reasons, they are definitely lying. They will try to stall you as much as they can from getting into the depth of the argument.
7. “Do you really think I could do something like this/that?”
Again, the whole burden of the argument falls on you with this little question. The victim card is once again employed and this time they are using it to make you feel guilty of something you didn’t even do. It does work in some cases, as much as I hate to admit.
Deceptive people could go to any extent to keep their lies hidden from the world. They will never own their mistakes and wrongdoings. Trying to make them even acknowledge it is a Herculean task in itself! If someone says these things to you, you should know how to respond.
For example, if someone says that they doesn’t remember doing or saying a particular thing (point 3) you can ask them what exactly do they remember. An honest person will answer you without hesitance, while a liar would bid his/her time cooking up fictional tales of wonderland.
Image source: Flickr/Harlow Heslop
