 How many times have you received a compliment and later doubted whether or not it was truly sincere? It's always good to assume that people have good intentions, but the sad reality is that this isn't always the case. Sometimes people are just pretending to be nice to us and it's important to know the telltale signs of this behavior. Are you wondering whether or not the people around you are genuinely kind? Here are 10 signs of fake nice people. Humble bragging Humble bragging is a relatively new term, but it's been around for ages. This is when people exhibit false modesty. They pretend to downplay their own accomplishments while suddenly bragging about them at the same time. An example would be someone who says, I hate being beautiful because people flirt with me all the time. According to psychological studies, it's actually better if you go ahead and fully brag in these situations. People like genuine bragging way more than humble bragging. Passive aggressive behavior. You'd be surprised how easy it is for some people to be extremely aggressive while maintaining a guise of positive and nice behavior. This is known as passive aggressive behavior, and it's one of the big signs of a fake nice person. According to research, this behavior is common with people who have suppressed their rage and want to maintain civility and sophistication. When they do let their anger out, however, they can only do so by being passive aggressive. For example, someone might give you a compliment, but it seems rather sarcastic and backhanded. Ghosting Another big sign of fake nice people is ghosting. This is when people completely fall off the radar, refusing to answer your calls or reply to your texts. Ghosting often occurs right after the relationship is seemingly going pretty well. The other person might even seem nice and polite. Then all of a sudden they completely cut you out of their lives. At this point, it becomes obvious that their nice behavior was just a big act. Crocodile tears. The phrase crocodile tears is used to describe people who fake emotions. Usually sadness and remorse. We see it all the time with politicians and well-known public figures, so how do you spot crocodile tears? Research has shown that people faking emotions like remorse and sadness tend to exaggerate these emotions. They also show a wide range of different emotions, which don't always make sense. For example, they might switch suddenly from being sad to being hopeful. How to spot a fake smile. Fake nice people are obviously very likely to show off a fake smile. But how do you tell the difference between their smiles and real smiles from generally happy and nice people? According to psychologists, real smiles almost always use more facial muscles. Specifically, you should be on the lookout for wrinkles around the eyes. These are key signs of a real smile. Fake nice people can't listen. Genuinely nice people are always ready to lend an ear. No matter what you're going through, they can sit and listen to what you have to say. Fake nice people might have a hard time doing this, however, because they're usually very self-centered people. To put it simply, it's all about them. Fake nice people might act apart, but they'll try their best to sway the conversation towards topics that involve them, not you. For example, you might be explaining struggles you have at school or work, and then someone cuts in and starts giving you a long story about their personal experiences in that area. They always seem to want something. There's usually a reason behind why fake nice people are acting so kind and considerate. In most cases, it's because they want something from you. This might not be immediately obvious, but eventually, they'll start slowly steering the conversation to their needs and desires. Usually, they'll ask you to do something, or you'll discover that you have something they want. They're only nice to people who have power. Another big sign of a fake nice person is that they only act in a positive way towards those with power. It's always good to judge people based on how they treat people who are less fortunate or less powerful than themselves. If their nice behavior seems directed solely towards those with power, then that nice behavior probably isn't genuine. They like to gossip and criticize others. It's always easy to laugh at other people's expense, and you might even be fooled into thinking that nice people do this as well. But if someone is bringing other people down in an effort to get close to you, then you know that deep inside, they're not very nice people. Fake nice people love to gossip, and they might do so in a way that seems nice. They might act with a false sense of concern over other people's misfortune. For example, they might talk about someone else's substance issues with a gossipy and unsympathetic tone while pretending to be concerned. Sometimes it's hard to spot this behavior, but it's a big sign of fake niceness. Fake nice people are actually pretty rare. Although there are many signs of fake nice people, they're actually not very common. For the most part, when someone is acting nice towards you, they really mean it. In fact, people have a tendency to view themselves as less likable than others see them. Fake nice people do exist. But people probably like you a lot more than you think. That's why it's always a good idea to assume the best in people, because you might be irrationally fearing the worst. Do you have any experiences with fake nice people? Let us know in the comments below. Be sure to subscribe to our channel or watch our videos on topics like depression or anxiety.