Whether analyzing a social media comment, a written statement relating to an insurance claim, an application for employment or any type of written evidence, you should always be looking for certain “red flags” that can signal an untruth. Some of the most obvious include;
- When a writer remains at a distance and omits personal pronouns from his or her story stay alert; it could signal a deviation from the truth. For instance, “the keys were left in the ignition” instead of, “I left the keys in the ignition.”
- Beware when there is a sudden change in verb tense known among experts as verb hopping. “Truthful people usually describe historical events in the past tense. Deceptive people sometimes refer to past events as if the events were occurring in the present.” *
- Vague verbiage within an otherwise precise and detailed statement such as “probably,” “pretty sure,” or “kinda” can indicate the intentional hiding of something.
- When an abrupt topic change occurs or when a writer provides insignificant detail, it could signify a departure from the truth.
- Certain verbal indicators when committed to writing can also signal a lie. Three of the most popular include; “to be honest,” “frankly,” and “the best that I can recall.”
Written lies are more difficult to spot unless the writer is present when the statement is being analyzed. If given the opportunity to question the writer about its content, know that he or she will provide visual and spoken behaviorial cues that will support statement content. If you have the ability to liespot these basic written “red flags,” you then can pursue further inquiries to confirm/deny your suspicions.
Take the time to check out an overview and more complete description of how words reveal deception. Read “10 Tell-Tale Signs of Deception” * a 2012 article written by Paul M. Clikeman, Ph.D., CFE at http://www.fraud-magazine.com/article.aspx?id=4294971184 and published in Fraud Magazine by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Next month: More about written Red Flags!
Research North, Inc. (RNI), is a professional private detective service providing support to the business community, the insurance industry and individuals in Michigan and Wisconsin since 1981. The company also offers pre-employment background checks to small and medium sized businesses through a subsidiary called Backgroundcheckswork.com that is fully staffed by professional investigators who are retired from law enforcement.
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