Spotting a liar is an essential life skill if we want to protect ourselves.

Yet research shows that we can be really bad at detecting deception.

How bad?

It turns out our detective work performs little better than guesswork or chance.

Dishonest folks often hide in the shadows and use sneaky and manipulative tricks to make them appear more credible.

Some people are simply better at lying than others.

But luckily psychology does still offer us some visual, verbal, and behavioral cues to help flush them out.

That’s why you’ve got to stay vigilant and be on the lookout for the following signs someone probably isn’t an honest person.

1) They’re not just private they’re secretive

Some dishonest people hide behind the excuse of keeping their privacy.

We all have a right to that, but it can become blurred with secrecy.

Psychologists say the difference is that secrecy involves hiding, and that’s why it’s dishonest.

As outlined by a research paper published in the Journal of Social Issues:

“Privacy and secrecy both involve boundaries and the denial of access to others; however, they differ in the moral content of the behavior which is concealed. Privacy is consensual where secrecy is not; that is, there is a “right to privacy” but no equivalent “right to secrecy.”

Keeping important information from you hints that someone has something to hide.

2) They only give vague details

The truth is easy to access. So we don’t need to spend a lot of time thinking about it.

But liars don’t want to get tripped up on finer details that they may struggle to remember.

When you weave a web of lies, it’s easy to trip yourself up.

That’s why psychology suggests people who are very scarce with the details may be dishonest.

If someone gives you a vague overview but doesn’t have much else to say — it could be because it’s a fabrication.

3) They have shifty body language

I’m sure you’ve heard it said before that our non-verbal cues give so much away.

When it comes to dishonest people, this can also be the case.

Yet it’s not so simple. Unfortunately, dishonesty and discomfort tend to overlap.

Meaning, that socially awkward people may come across as less relaxed and confident in their body language, even though they’re not necessarily dishonest.

But when combined with other signals, body language can be yet another tell. Experts outline the key things to watch out for as:

• Lots of fidgeting
• Grooming themselves a lot
• Rolling the lips back so that they’re very thin
• Crossing arms in a defensive way
• Changes in complexion (aka becoming flushed or going very pale)
• Excess sweating

Really you’re on the lookout for uneasiness or trying too hard.

4) They avoid looking you in the eye

Here’s another body language cue, but one that’s specific to eye contact.

I mentioned in the intro that some of our instincts about liars can be woefully wrong, and this is one of them:

Thinking that dishonest people are less likely to make eye contact.

Because psychologists say that the opposite is true.

As highlighted in Psychology Today:

“There is a longstanding belief that the eyes are a window to the truth, that liars are “shifty” and inadvertently signal their deception by averting their gaze or altogether avoiding looking a conversation partner in the eye. But science gives the lie to that belief.“

Perhaps in an attempt to seem more credible, researchers note how people make more eye contact when lying than when telling the truth.

5) They let you down on repeat

It may not be the first thing that springs to mind, but reliability does relate to honesty.

That’s because not being true to your word essentially means that your words and actions don’t match up.

When someone makes you a promise and fails to keep it, they’ve (whether unwittingly or not) lied to you.

This makes trust very difficult, which is one of the fundamentals of a healthy relationship.

Consistent people are often the most honest.

6) Their lies aren’t just white

Want to hear something strange?

Telling lies doesn’t always make you a dishonest person.

Let me elaborate.

The reality is that pretty much everyone lies. How frequently is something researchers are still debating.

Yet it seems that most people tell mainly harmless lies, so-called white lies. For example, to spare feelings or to dodge a trivial social obligation.

Psychologists say that thankfully there aren’t anywhere near as many prolific liars.

Authors of one study found that the top 1% of liars may well tell up to 15 whoppers a day.

It’s these people we should watch out for.

7) They present themselves as practically perfect

Call me cynical but I’m extra weary of people who seem nice all the time.

That’s because it just feels unrealistic.

We all have bad moods. We’ve all got flaws. We all have less desirable qualities.

In short: We’re all only human.

So if someone always acts as though butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths, it smacks of insincerity.

If someone seems too good to be true, we should often tread with caution.

8) They get very defensive

Defensiveness is a subconscious psychological protection.

It arises whenever we feel threatened.

That’s why it’s a classic sign of dishonesty in someone.

Because when confronted with the truth, rather than admitting to it, their natural response is to defend themselves — usually against unpleasant feelings like shame or guilt.

As pointed out in VeryWell Mind it’s an instinctive reaction when we’re caught off guard, “You may become defensive if you are trying to hide the truth about something or lying.”

9) They offer up strange information

Too much detail or strange details in a story can be just as dodgy as leaving them out.

That’s because of reverse psychology.

Liars can try to outsmart you. So they think to themselves:

If I were telling the truth, I would have lots of very specific little details to share. So if I do that, it will make my lie sound more credible.

The stories they tell you may sound a little bit rehearsed or oddly creative, perhaps because they’re invented.

10) They change their story

If someone tells you one thing, and someone else another contrasting story, then it’s safe to say that they’re probably not honest.

When you spin lies on repeat, it can be difficult to keep track of what you’ve said and to who.

Mix-ups do happen, so it’s always best to check before making accusations. We can get the wrong end of the stick and miscommunicate.

But generally speaking, when someone seems to change their story it’s a red flag that deceit could be afoot.

11) They’re prone to exaggeration

Sometimes it’s not flat-out lies, it’s just a bit of embellishment.

The truth can get in the way of a good story, so it’s tempting to slightly twist the facts.

Research even shows that we don’t necessarily mind a little bit of this for entertainment purposes. It’s part of good storytelling.

But here’s where it becomes problematic:

When it undermines someone’s credibility.

If they frequently add details for effect or to make themselves look better, it makes them seem less authentic.

As does the next point on our list.

12) They’re pretty conceited

Okay, being conceited may make someone slightly obnoxious, but how is arrogance linked to dishonesty?

Well according to research excess pride and self-confidence are more closely associated with strategic dishonesty.

One study concluded that to keep their image intact, conceited people are more likely to resort to shady tactics.

They discovered that “Proud participants engaged in dishonest behavior when faced with a status threat.”

To get ahead, they may well be prepared to use unprincipled methods.

13) Your gut tells you something is up

We can be too dismissive of gut reactions. Yet we should heed them.

As explained in Psychology Today:

“Know and trust that intuition is rooted in science. Gut feelings are the result of many channels of information processing, and provide a road map that integrates our emotions and physical sensations with a given environment.”

They’re not random guesses, they’re your subconscious evaluating a myriad of information behind the scenes.

It brings together past experiences along with expert detailed reading of someone’s cues to give you an impression of them.

So if something smells fishy, it could be that you’re picking up on the fact they’re not an honest person.