Revealed: The most common lies that we tell to impress others

Your co-worker who went sky-diving but has no proof is probably lying...

Almost half of UK adults have lied about going skydiving (Design Pics Inc/REX)

Most of us have told little white lie to save face – but would you go as far as fibbing about saving someone’s life?

Almost ten per cent of adults in the UK have pretended to be a hero to impress their peers, a study into the most common lies Britons tell to “look good” has found.

The survey of almost 2,500 over-18s also revealed that a staggering 45 per cent of people had pretended to have gone skydiving.

Other top lies based on death-defying activities included bungee jumping, and working in the armed forces.

Meanwhile just over 40 per cent of us are more inclined towards some false name dropping by saying we have met a celebrity, with over a third spinning the yarn that they’d been to a music event to seem cooler.

The study also showed how people appeared to gauge what is impressive rather differently, as a quarter lied about being arrested sent to jail, while a fifth were dishonest about having taken part in a charity fundraiser.

When asked who they had attempted to dupe, the majority (35 per cent) of respondents to the survey by experience gift firm intotheblue.co.uk said that work colleagues were on the receiving end.

And just under a third had fibbed in an attempt to attract a romantic partner, with a fifth lying to people who were already their friends.

Despite the bizarre lies, only 15 per cent of respondents who had been deceptive were caught out.

Undeterred by the potential embarrassment, all those who had lied said they would do so again given the chance.

The most common lies Britons tell to look good

1) Skydiving – 45%
2) Met a celebrity – 41%
3) Attended a music event – 36%
4) Bungee jump – 29%
5) Being arrested/Spent time in jail – 25%
6) School/University results – 23%
7) Charity fundraising – 20%
8) Attended a major sporting event – 19%
9) Exotic travels – 17%
10) Working in the forces – 15%

A further 8% of respondents confessed that they had lied about saving somebody’s life.