How to tell if someone is lying

Dan Ribacoff has been a private investigator for over 23 years — he’s definitely encountered his fair share of liars. Now, Ribacoff is exposing all his PI secrets — everything from how to hunt down someone to protecting yourself from identity theft — in his new book “I Spy: How To Be Your Own Private Investigator.” Here, we share his best tips for how to tell if someone is lying.

They evade the truth. In his book, Ribacoff points out that people who feel guilty about lying won’t lie outright — they will just avoid answering the question. For example, if you ask your partner, “Did you cheat on me?” That person may answer, “Why would I do that? I have you!”

They have delayed responses with filler words. Ribacoff says if the person at hand uses a lot of “ums,” “you knows” and “excuse mes,” they are trying to stall to come up with a believable lie. Be on the lookout!

They say the word “honestly” a lot.Ironically, Ribacoff says this is a big tell when it comes to spotting a liar. Another phrase to watch out for: “the truth is.”

They blame someone else.In an effort to divert your attention to someone else, liars will point to someone else. Say you’re a parent and you catch your teen sneaking in after curfew. Don’t be surprised if “oh, it was mostly so-and-so’s idea” comes up.

Ribacoff has more ways of spotting a liar in his book, which is out now.Also worth reading up on: his tips for securing your house, becoming unsearchable on the Internet and know if you’re being stalked.