GITNUXREPORT 2025

Lying Statistics

People lie regularly, especially online, to impress, avoid punishment, and protect themselves.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Men are slightly more likely to lie than women

Statistic 2

More women than men admit to lying to their partners

Statistic 3

In some cultures, lying is considered acceptable if it helps maintain harmony

Statistic 4

The tendency to lie varies across cultures, with some emphasizing honesty more than others

Statistic 5

Men are more likely to lie about their sexual history than women

Statistic 6

Lies about money are among the most difficult to detect

Statistic 7

Deception detection accuracy improves with training, but often remains imperfect

Statistic 8

Lie detection tests are only accurate about 54-63% of the time, indicating limitations in technology

Statistic 9

Effective training for lie detection involves understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, but accuracy remains imperfect

Statistic 10

People tell an average of 1.65 lies per day

Statistic 11

60% of people admit to lying regularly

Statistic 12

The average person tells 13 lies a week

Statistic 13

Teens tell an average of 2 lies per day

Statistic 14

Deception is more common in online communication than in face-to-face interactions

Statistic 15

12% of people admitted to lying on their resume

Statistic 16

People lie more during elections than any other time

Statistic 17

People are more likely to lie about their age, income, and weight

Statistic 18

79% of Americans believe that politicians lie regularly

Statistic 19

Fraudulent statements about health are common, with 74% of people admitting to lying about health issues at some point

Statistic 20

People tend to lie more in written communication than spoken

Statistic 21

85% of people have engaged in some form of deception in personal relationships

Statistic 22

The average person will tell approximately 200 lies a year

Statistic 23

There is a higher prevalence of lying among individuals with antisocial personality disorder

Statistic 24

Nearly 100% of people were caught lying at some point in their lives

Statistic 25

46.9% of people have lied to a boss

Statistic 26

People are more likely to lie when they’re trying to impress someone

Statistic 27

People tend to lie more when they’re under pressure

Statistic 28

The most common reason for lying is to avoid punishment

Statistic 29

Chronic liars are more likely to have narcissistic tendencies

Statistic 30

Children start lying around age 4

Statistic 31

People who lie frequently often have lower self-esteem

Statistic 32

People tend to believe lies more easily when they align with their pre-existing beliefs

Statistic 33

People are more likely to lie if they think they can get away with it without consequences

Statistic 34

People are more likely to lie in anonymous surveys than face-to-face

Statistic 35

The act of lying can activate the brain’s reward system, making it feel pleasurable

Statistic 36

People lie more when they are tired, with fatigue increasing the likelihood of deception

Statistic 37

People are more likely to lie during high-stakes situations than low-stakes ones

Statistic 38

The average workday includes multiple small lies to colleagues

Statistic 39

The likelihood of lying increases when people are motivated by self-interest

Statistic 40

People often lie to avoid embarrassment, with social anxiety correlating with dishonesty

Statistic 41

Environmental factors like lighting and privacy influence the likelihood of lying

Statistic 42

People tend to lie about their online activities more than their offline activities

Statistic 43

Liars tend to display more nervous behaviors, such as avoiding eye contact, during deception

Statistic 44

There’s a decline in lying among teenagers with increased social media literacy

Statistic 45

People who lie frequently are more likely to have difficulty forming genuine relationships

Statistic 46

Lying can lead to feelings of guilt or anxiety, which can be detected through physiological markers

Statistic 47

The development of lie-telling skills begins in early childhood, around age 4, and becomes more sophisticated over time

Statistic 48

People are more likely to lie about their abilities or achievements to impress others

Statistic 49

The act of lying can be less detectable when told in a humorous context, depending on the audience

Statistic 50

Yoga and meditation can reduce tendencies to lie by increasing self-awareness

Statistic 51

People tend to lie more when they are in groups rather than alone, often influenced by peer presence

Statistic 52

People who lie frequently are more prone to stress-related healthissues, such as headaches and high blood pressure

Statistic 53

People often lie to themselves about their own shortcomings, a phenomenon known as self-deception

Statistic 54

Nervousness and fidgeting are common physical signs of lying, but not definitive

Statistic 55

People are more likely to lie when interacting with strangers than with friends or family, due to perceived anonymity

Statistic 56

The use of social media can increase dishonesty, especially in crafting idealized self-presentation

Statistic 57

There are gender differences in lying frequency depending on context and situation, with women more likely to lie to protect others

Statistic 58

White lies are the most common type of lie

Statistic 59

Lies can serve as social lubrication, helping facilitate interactions

Slide 1 of 59

Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

People tell an average of 1.65 lies per day
60% of people admit to lying regularly
White lies are the most common type of lie
People are more likely to lie when they’re trying to impress someone
The average person tells 13 lies a week
Men are slightly more likely to lie than women
Teens tell an average of 2 lies per day
People tend to lie more when they’re under pressure
Deception is more common in online communication than in face-to-face interactions
12% of people admitted to lying on their resume
46.9% of people have lied to a boss
The most common reason for lying is to avoid punishment
People lie more during elections than any other time

Did you know that the average person tells about 200 lies a year—mostly white lies to impress, avoid punishment, or navigate social interactions—highlighting how deception is woven into our daily lives more than we might realize?

Demographic and Cultural Factors Influencing Lying

Men are slightly more likely to lie than women
More women than men admit to lying to their partners
In some cultures, lying is considered acceptable if it helps maintain harmony
The tendency to lie varies across cultures, with some emphasizing honesty more than others
Men are more likely to lie about their sexual history than women

Demographic and Cultural Factors Influencing Lying Interpretation

While men may have the reputation for bending the truth—especially about their sexual past—the real lie might be that honesty is a universal virtue when, in reality, cultural norms and gender roles continue to shape who’s telling the truth and who’s telling tall tales.

Detection and Management of Dishonesty

Lies about money are among the most difficult to detect
Deception detection accuracy improves with training, but often remains imperfect
Lie detection tests are only accurate about 54-63% of the time, indicating limitations in technology
Effective training for lie detection involves understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, but accuracy remains imperfect

Detection and Management of Dishonesty Interpretation

Despite advancements in lie detection training and technology, the persistent inaccuracies—ranging from 54% to 63%—remind us that when it comes to uncovering financial deception, our best tool remains a vigilant mind rather than infallible tech.

Frequency and Prevalence of Lying

People tell an average of 1.65 lies per day
60% of people admit to lying regularly
The average person tells 13 lies a week
Teens tell an average of 2 lies per day
Deception is more common in online communication than in face-to-face interactions
12% of people admitted to lying on their resume
People lie more during elections than any other time
People are more likely to lie about their age, income, and weight
79% of Americans believe that politicians lie regularly
Fraudulent statements about health are common, with 74% of people admitting to lying about health issues at some point
People tend to lie more in written communication than spoken
85% of people have engaged in some form of deception in personal relationships
The average person will tell approximately 200 lies a year
There is a higher prevalence of lying among individuals with antisocial personality disorder

Frequency and Prevalence of Lying Interpretation

While honesty remains noble, these staggering statistics reveal that deception pervades our daily lives—from online chats and job resumes to political debates and personal relationships—highlighting that in the complex dance of human interaction, lying has become a less, and perhaps more, acceptable step.

Prevalence and Frequency of Lying

Nearly 100% of people were caught lying at some point in their lives

Prevalence and Frequency of Lying Interpretation

These startling figures remind us that even in the quest for honesty, humans are inevitably guilty of the occasional fib, proving that we’re all players in the grand theater of deception—some just a little more convincingly than others.

Prevalence of Lying

46.9% of people have lied to a boss

Prevalence of Lying Interpretation

With nearly half of employees admitting to lying to their boss, it seems honesty is becoming the rarest currency in the workplace—surprisingly, a tactic that's risking more than it's worth.

Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of Lying

People are more likely to lie when they’re trying to impress someone
People tend to lie more when they’re under pressure
The most common reason for lying is to avoid punishment
Chronic liars are more likely to have narcissistic tendencies
Children start lying around age 4
People who lie frequently often have lower self-esteem
People tend to believe lies more easily when they align with their pre-existing beliefs
People are more likely to lie if they think they can get away with it without consequences
People are more likely to lie in anonymous surveys than face-to-face
The act of lying can activate the brain’s reward system, making it feel pleasurable
People lie more when they are tired, with fatigue increasing the likelihood of deception
People are more likely to lie during high-stakes situations than low-stakes ones
The average workday includes multiple small lies to colleagues
The likelihood of lying increases when people are motivated by self-interest
People often lie to avoid embarrassment, with social anxiety correlating with dishonesty
Environmental factors like lighting and privacy influence the likelihood of lying
People tend to lie about their online activities more than their offline activities
Liars tend to display more nervous behaviors, such as avoiding eye contact, during deception
There’s a decline in lying among teenagers with increased social media literacy
People who lie frequently are more likely to have difficulty forming genuine relationships
Lying can lead to feelings of guilt or anxiety, which can be detected through physiological markers
The development of lie-telling skills begins in early childhood, around age 4, and becomes more sophisticated over time
People are more likely to lie about their abilities or achievements to impress others
The act of lying can be less detectable when told in a humorous context, depending on the audience
Yoga and meditation can reduce tendencies to lie by increasing self-awareness
People tend to lie more when they are in groups rather than alone, often influenced by peer presence
People who lie frequently are more prone to stress-related healthissues, such as headaches and high blood pressure
People often lie to themselves about their own shortcomings, a phenomenon known as self-deception
Nervousness and fidgeting are common physical signs of lying, but not definitive
People are more likely to lie when interacting with strangers than with friends or family, due to perceived anonymity
The use of social media can increase dishonesty, especially in crafting idealized self-presentation
There are gender differences in lying frequency depending on context and situation, with women more likely to lie to protect others

Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of Lying Interpretation

The pervasive tendency to lie—fueled by social pressures, self-interest, and even the pursuit of pleasure—reveals that deception is as much a response to our environment and desires as it is a reflection of our self-esteem and social aspirations.

Types and Contexts of Lies

White lies are the most common type of lie
Lies can serve as social lubrication, helping facilitate interactions

Types and Contexts of Lies Interpretation

White lies, the social lubricants of our interactions, reveal that sometimes even deception's smallest forms are key to keeping the social machinery running smoothly.