1. There are several subtle clues that can indicate when someone is lying, such as avoiding direct eye contact, using vague language like "you" and "we" instead of "I", and having restricted hand gestures. 2. Liars may also display physical signs of discomfort like fidgeting, increased vocal pitch, flushed face or heavy breathing when telling a lie. 3. The Reid Technique is a 9-step interrogation process used by law enforcement to detect lies, such as leading a liar to eventually admit guilt by the questions they are asked.

1. How To Unmask A Liar<br />While there's no surefire way to sniff out a liar, subtle clues abound, if you know where to look. Here are 14 giveaways.<br />Tricky Tilt<br />Truthful people more likely to face questioners head on. Liars are quot;
likely to lack frontal alignment and will often sit with both their arms and legs crossed as if frozen,quot;
says Joseph Buckley, president of John E. Reid and Associates, which provides interview and interrogation training to law enforcement agents.<br />Imprecise Pronouns<br />To psychologically distance themselves from the lie, deceptive people often pepper their tales with second- and third-person pronouns like quot;
you,quot;
quot;
wequot;
and quot;
they.quot;
<br />Heavy Hands<br />When people tell the truth, they often make hand gestures that coincide with the rhythm of their speech. Hands emphasize points or phrases--a natural and compelling technique when they actually believe the points they're making. People who are less certain will keep gesticulations in check.<br />Nervous Nellie<br />Skilled liars don't break a sweat; the rest of us get tend to fidget when we're not telling the truth. Possible giveaways include shifty eyes, higher vocal pitch, flushed face and heavier breathing.<br />The Reid Technique<br />The Reid Technique is a nine-step interrogation process that many U.S. law enforcement agencies employ to ferret out lies. The goal of the process is to lead the liar down a path such that he or she eventually has no choice but to admit guilt. For more on the technique, check out www.reid.com.<br />Curious Questions<br />Liars are more likely to ask you to repeat questions, and to preface pronouncements with, quot;
To tell you the truth,quot;
and quot;
To be perfectly honest,quot;
says Buckley. Evasive answers to direct questions should raise your suspicions, too.<br />Tongues as Long as Telephone Wires<br />The phone tends to bring out the liar in people. In one week-long study of 30 college students, Hancock observed that the phone was the most popular weapon of choice, enabling 37% of the lies told in this time, vs. 27% during face-to-face exchanges, 21% using Web-based messaging, and just 14% via e-mail. Little surprise, perhaps: Most phone conversations don't leave a trail, unlike email and instant messages.<br />Sparse Specifics<br />A liar may not have thought through all the particulars of his story. If you suspect you're being lied to, gently probe for details.<br />Pregnant Pauses<br />When a person is lying, the gaps between his words often increase, according to a 2002 study led by Robin Lickley, a professor at The University of Edinburgh.<br />Lack of Cooperation<br />Lying makes people uncomfortable, even surly. quot;
While a truthful person is concerned, composed and sincere, a liar is often defensive, guarded and less cooperative,quot;
says Buckley.<br />Need to Be Right<br />When honest people tell stories, they may realize that they left out some details and backtrack to fill in holes. They also may realize a previous statement wasn't quite right, and go back and explain it further. Liars, on the other hand, quot;
are worried that someone might catch them in a lie and are reluctant to admit to such ordinary imperfections,quot;
says psychologist Bella DePaulo, author of more than a dozen deception studies.<br />Behavioral Blip<br />quot;
You're always looking for change from the person's usual baseline,quot;
says Paul Ekman, professor emeritus at University of California Medical School, and manager of Paul Ekman Group, which does training in the area of deception and emotional skills. quot;
Some people always hesitate when they speak. If they speak without hesitation, that's a hot spot.quot;
<br />Freudian Fraud<br />Press too hard to keep the truth down and some if it is bound to leak out. If you're already unsure if someone is giving you the straight scoop, listen for Freudian slips of the tongue that might uncork some self-incriminating stuff.<br />Detached Smile<br />People who are telling the truth tend to use many facial muscles. Liars just smile with their mouths--their eyes don't reflect their emotions.<br />