How can you already know that a caller will never have a polygraph exam done?

Overall, PEOA members average 50-70% of calls & referrals that actually turn into paid exams.

Some of the other callers are just 'looky-loos', competitors, bluffers trying to scare their girlfriends into confessing, and various other time-wasters.

Some examiners have previously said that they know instantly if a person will be engaging their services or not. So, we polled a group of successful examiners, asking them "How can you already know that a caller will never actually have a polygraph exam done?".

Their answers included:

"If they insist on an e-mail conversation only (no phone), it will not go"

"Requiring you to listen to 30 seconds of rap music before their voice mail message comes on is a sign of no-work-here"

"Calls after midnight virtually never become an exam"

"Telephone calls from 'blocked' or 'withheld' numbers for whatever reason almost never become an actual polygraph exam"

"Getting several calls from a person in a short period usually means too emotional now, and he/she will not show up for their appointment"

"When you call them back and get a message of either 'Voice Mail Full' or 'Voice Mail Not Set Up Yet', it's not going to happen"

"When you hear the caller being told word-for-word what to say to you by someone in the background, its just another control-freak trying to use polygraph as a free scare"

"When they want to discuss their entire relationship problems by phone, it is usually someone who needs a friend and wont be hiring you"

"If they say 'Cost is no concern', don't count on it"

"(If they contact you by e-mail) The longer their e-mail, the lower the chance they will be hiring an examiner"

"When the caller insists that he be present during the test because he doesn't trust his girlfriend alone with an examiner, we have a control-freak that often is putting her through her 2nd or 3rd exam because he's not happy with hearing NDI"

"They will not be showing up if they want to schedule many weeks into the future"

"Should the caller insist that an examiner be either a woman or a very old man, good luck"

"If they say that they will keep their appointment with you depending on if their tax return or some other money arrives, it will be a no-show"

"A woman crying as she tells that she needs to have herself tested because her guy thinks she is cheating, with a baby or two screaming in the background during the call, will not turn into an exam"


Obviously not 100% for certain, but it was agreed that the above is solidly accurate.