Most people either want to tell the truth, or they are amateur liars. The latter group will not have the courage to continue a lie if deposed or questioned by someone who is practiced at effective interviewing techniques and able to recognize and navigate through suspected false statements.
Being a people person, enjoying one-on-one encounters and having training and experience in interviewing are absolute prerequisites; however, those responsible for getting to the truth should also pay attention to the following Pointers relating to lie and fraud detection:
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- Recognize that you are engaging in an adversarial process when questioning someone as to their recollections of an event. Plan the setting! When you are asking for the truth, telling such may not always be in an individual’s best interests. Dr. Joseph T. Wells, former Chairman of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) recommends that controlling the environment and setting the tone of the encounter (“Be Nice and Smile Often”) are critical components to success.
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- Before questioning a witness, claimant or job applicant, do your homework! Become conversant with the facts at issue and the background of the interviewee. Check references and question others to gather valuable detail ahead of time. Your best opportunity to elicit the truth is during a first encounter. Planning and advance preparation will allow you to maintain control which is another element that leads to success.
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- If signs of fraud and untruthful statements surface, be prepared to pursue! Many times this is easier said than done since effective methodology comes with training and practice. There are unique signs of deception which have been described in prior newsletters. They relate to appearance, body language and how something is said or not said. Don’t be afraid to act on a gut feeling.
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- Follow the KISS Principle! After setting the interviewee at ease with relationship building conversation, keep the questioning simple and straightforward. This approach should elicit simple and straightforward answers; if not, beware. Compound questions and questions that do not follow a chronology of events or are off topic will confuse or increase the chance of untruthful responses.
- If you get lost or break the questioning rhythm, stop and take a moment to regroup! It is not unusual to lose your trend of thought or get sidetracked. Rather than continue and make matters worse, ask to take a break or just pause for a few moments. It is perfectly okay to take breaks without an extensive explanation as to why. In fact, a great interviewing technique is to pause intentionally. The silence can cause a witness or applicant to feel uncomfortable which can work to your advantage.
Watch for our next Newsletter which will contain additional Pointers for getting to the Truth! Between now and then, discreetly practice these techniques with coworkers, family members and friends, and you will see how effective they can be.
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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