It doesn’t always work. But if you can get them to bring you into their “circle” — if they have one. You can gauge who they are. Show me a man’s friends and I’ll show you who he is. I think there’s a saying like that. And it seems to be pretty accurate.

If you can see how a person expresses them self around people they’re comfortable with, you should be able to see their true self. It’s almost more important than bringing them into your own circle.

Plus if they are willing to bring you to their group of friends than it could also mean that they’re accepting of you.

Finally, laying out all the expectations from the beginning can help to weed out the ones (who aren’t pathological liars) whose intentions don’t align with your own. Or find the one that does.