We Asked an FBI Agent 24 Tough Questions | Honesty Box
LADbible Stories
575,155 views
Former FBI agent and spy catcher Joe Navarro steps inside the Honesty Box to answer your questions about spies, body language, lie detection, psychopaths, surveillance and what really happens behind the scenes at the FBI.
After spending 25 years with the FBI and becoming a founding member of its National Security Behavioral Program, Joe explains how intelligence officers operate, what makes someone a successful spy and how FBI agents are trained to observe and understand human behaviour.
He also breaks down one of the biggest myths around body language: whether you can actually tell when somebody is lying.
Joe reveals why polygraph tests don't truly detect lies, how he used behavioural clues during real investigations, what you should do if someone holds you at gunpoint and why trusting your gut instinct could keep you safe.
He also discusses psychopaths and malignant narcissists, FBI surveillance, whether intelligence agencies can access our devices, his experience working during 9/11 and some of the most serious cases he encountered throughout his career.
From catching spies and interviewing suspects to decoding body language and understanding dangerous personalities, this is an inside look at FBI counterintelligence from someone who spent decades doing it for real.
Thank you to Joe Navarro for taking part in this episode of Honesty Box. You can find out more in his books https://www.jnforensics.com/books
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:51 What role does the FBI play in US security?
02:01 What training do FBI agents go through?
02:57 What makes a good spy?
03:32 Which countries did the spies you investigated come from?
04:19 What are spies trying to achieve on US soil?
05:42 What should you say to someone holding you at gunpoint?
06:30 Can you really tell if someone is lying?
07:19 What can body language actually tell investigators?
11:56 How effective are polygraph tests?
13:48 Do you remember your first FBI case?
15:16 How did your “FBI voice” change over time?
15:45 What makes a good FBI agent?
17:31 Who is the most infamous person or group you've investigated?
18:58 Are good-looking people easier to trust?
20:16 Can the FBI hack your phone or smart TV?
20:53 Have you always been good at reading people?
23:28 What is the most dangerous personality type?
25:07 Can you spot a psychopath?
25:45 Does the FBI surveil US citizens?
26:24 How much did 9/11 affect the American psyche?
27:06 Were you working for the FBI during 9/11?
27:47 Should you trust your gut instinct?
30:24 What's the biggest threat to public safety?
31:46 Can intelligence agencies listen through our phones and laptops?
👀 Welcome to LADbible Stories - the home of raw interviews, real people, and powerful documentaries. From Minutes With and The Meet, to the brutally honest Honesty Box, we shine a light on untold human experiences. Subscribe now for content that moves you.
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20 Comments
New rule of life: “pay attention to the person who’s NOT on their device”
Averted eyes, nervous movements, touching the face, or hesitation can reflect anxiety, discomfort, cognitive load, personality, culture, or simply the pressure of being questioned—not necessarily lying.
This is why skilled behavioral analysis focuses more on baseline behavior, context, clusters of signals, and changes that occur around specific topics rather than treating one gesture as proof.
The mind loves simple rules because they create certainty. Human behavior is rarely that simple.
The dangerous mistake is not missing a “lie signal.” It is becoming overconfident that you can read a person from one behavior.
Bi Spy Catcher is a show I'd watch
I recall reading this in a book (that I can’t recall now) about homicide investigations
We Asked an FBI Agent 24 Tough Questions | Honesty Box
LADbible Stories
575,155 views
Former FBI agent and spy catcher Joe Navarro steps inside the Honesty Box to answer your questions about spies, body language, lie detection, psychopaths, surveillance and what really happens behind the scenes at the FBI.
After spending 25 years with the FBI and becoming a founding member of its National Security Behavioral Program, Joe explains how intelligence officers operate, what makes someone a successful spy and how FBI agents are trained to observe and understand human behaviour.
He also breaks down one of the biggest myths around body language: whether you can actually tell when somebody is lying.
Joe reveals why polygraph tests don't truly detect lies, how he used behavioural clues during real investigations, what you should do if someone holds you at gunpoint and why trusting your gut instinct could keep you safe.
He also discusses psychopaths and malignant narcissists, FBI surveillance, whether intelligence agencies can access our devices, his experience working during 9/11 and some of the most serious cases he encountered throughout his career.
From catching spies and interviewing suspects to decoding body language and understanding dangerous personalities, this is an inside look at FBI counterintelligence from someone who spent decades doing it for real.
Thank you to Joe Navarro for taking part in this episode of Honesty Box. You can find out more in his books https://www.jnforensics.com/books
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:51 What role does the FBI play in US security?
02:01 What training do FBI agents go through?
02:57 What makes a good spy?
03:32 Which countries did the spies you investigated come from?
04:19 What are spies trying to achieve on US soil?
05:42 What should you say to someone holding you at gunpoint?
06:30 Can you really tell if someone is lying?
07:19 What can body language actually tell investigators?
11:56 How effective are polygraph tests?
13:48 Do you remember your first FBI case?
15:16 How did your “FBI voice” change over time?
15:45 What makes a good FBI agent?
17:31 Who is the most infamous person or group you've investigated?
18:58 Are good-looking people easier to trust?
20:16 Can the FBI hack your phone or smart TV?
20:53 Have you always been good at reading people?
23:28 What is the most dangerous personality type?
25:07 Can you spot a psychopath?
25:45 Does the FBI surveil US citizens?
26:24 How much did 9/11 affect the American psyche?
27:06 Were you working for the FBI during 9/11?
27:47 Should you trust your gut instinct?
30:24 What's the biggest threat to public safety?
31:46 Can intelligence agencies listen through our phones and laptops?
👀 Welcome to LADbible Stories - the home of raw interviews, real people, and powerful documentaries. From Minutes With and The Meet, to the brutally honest Honesty Box, we shine a light on untold human experiences. Subscribe now for content that moves you.
📲 Subscribe to LADbible Stories: @ladbiblestories
📺 Want more from the LADbible universe?
LADbible Entertainment: @ladbible
SPORTbible: @SPORTbible