A black and white sketch of a dog standing outside beside an air conditioning unit.

3 Ways to Spot Someone as Crooked as a Dog’s Hind Leg

April 9, 2025

I like to think I surround myself with good, honest folk. The kind who work hard, do right by their neighbors, and expect nothing more than a fair shake in return. But every now and then, someone comes along who talks sweet, shakes hands firm, and seems like they belong—only for you to find out later they’re as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.

I learned that lesson the hard way when a fella rolled into town some years back, setting up shop as an air conditioning repairman. He talked a good game, real convincing. Had the kind of charm that made you believe he knew exactly what he was doing. He was offering a deal too good to pass up—service and maintenance at a price that had folks signing up before they even asked questions.

My mama was one of them. It was around the time my father had passed, and she was handling the house on her own for the first time. She took pride in keeping everything running right, and when this fella came knocking, she figured she’d do the responsible thing and get the unit checked before the summer heat set in.

Well, turns out, that man couldn’t fix a fan if you handed him the instruction manual. He poked around, made a show of working, but didn’t fix a thing. Worse yet, some folks found out later that he actually sabotaged a few units—ensuring they’d fail so he could charge folks more if they called him back.

Then, just as quick as he arrived, he was gone. Packed up, skipped town, and left a whole mess of folks with broken air conditioners and lighter wallets. It burned me up. But what hurt the most was watching my mama blame herself for getting taken. She wasn’t the only one—half the town got fooled—but she carried it heavy, like she should’ve known better.

Since then, I’ve learned a few ways to spot folks who ain’t what they seem. Here’s how you keep from getting fooled by someone as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.

1. If it sounds too good… well, it probably isn’t true.

That fella’s deal was just a little too sweet. Real discounts happen, sure, but when someone’s offering something that feels too easy, you better slow down and ask why. Scammers thrive on urgency—they want you to act fast before you think too much. If somebody’s pushing you to sign up right now before you can sleep on it, take that as a red flag. There’s a reason folks say, “A fair deal don’t need pressure.”

2. Pay more attention to actions than words.

That conman talked smooth. Made folks feel like he knew exactly what he was doing. But when you looked closer? His hands never got dirty, and he never actually fixed anything. People can say all the right things, but words don’t mean a thing if the actions don’t match. You want to know if someone’s honest? Watch what they do when they think nobody’s looking.

If you’ve ever wondered why we fall for smooth talkers, [this article on the psychology of persuasion] explains why charm can be deceiving.

3. A good reputation ain’t built over night.

A solid business, a trustworthy person, a true friend—they don’t show up out of nowhere. They build trust over time. That air conditioning man? Nobody in town had ever heard of him before. He had no past customers to vouch for him, no proof of good work, just a lot of promises. But folks got blinded by the deal and figured if he was offering, he must be legit.

Truth is, real trust is earned, not given. If someone shows up out of nowhere, asking for money before proving themselves, take a step back. The right folks won’t mind if you do your homework. The crooked ones will pressure you to skip it.

Honest folk don’t run. Crooked ones do.

I still think about how that whole mess hurt my mama. But if there’s a silver lining, it’s that she never let something like that happen again. She got sharper, started asking more questions, and taught me to do the same.

So next time you meet someone new, take your time. Watch, listen, and trust your gut. And if they start to seem just a little too slick then they may be “as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.”