How to Spot Untrustworthy People in Business

Living in Hungary, I’ve noticed something most outsiders don’t talk about: here, cheating in business is often culturally tolerated, sometimes even admired. For many, it’s not just about profit, it’s a game. Outsmarting others makes them feel alive.

So how do you protect yourself in an environment where deception can feel normal?

Recently, I came across lessons from Andrew Bustamante, a former CIA intelligence officer, who teaches “spycraft for everyday life.” I’ve adapted some of his methods to business situations, especially for those of us who navigate cultures where the rules are flexible.

Do you want to know how can you actually track deception in your business?

Here are the Top 4 advices that could help with your business communication and detect lies while making good deals.

• Don’t rely only on your gut
  Bustamante says even trained agents get fooled by first impressions.
  Solution: Verify trust through actions, not charm or confidence.
  
  
• Look for inconsistencies
  Hesitation before simple answers could imply that something is off. 
  Solution: Ask the same question in different ways. If their answers shift or get overly detailed, that’s a red flag. Watch out for over-rehearsed stories. Body language that doesn’t match tone.  Tiny clues, but consistent ones.
  
  
• Identify their core motivation
  In business, if someone is driven mostly by Ego (“I win by tricking others”), be careful, you’re not their partner, you’re their next move.
  Solution: The CIA uses the RICE model: Reward, Ideology, Coercion, Ego.Watch for micro-behaviours

• In the business context
  Pushback against written contracts is warning sign. Redefining “what we agreed” after the fact is a pattern. Always benefiting from your risk is imbalance. Bragging about “getting away with things” is a mindset problem, not confidence. 
  Solution: Recognize that pushback, address the issue early with clear, firm communication and work on a mindset of confidence built on integrity, transparency, and fairness.

My take: trust, but verify
In Hungary (and similar cultures), it’s not enough to assume good intent. Protect yourself with systems, documentation, and transparency.

And remember: when someone treats deception like sport, you’re the game board.
Trust slowly. Test early. Then build strong alliances with the ones who play fair, because they do exist.