Also remember the motto of that bumbling nitwit President W. Bush. Errrrrrr... You can fool all of the people all of the time, but you can't fool none of the people at no time at all. That's the logic he used in the Invasion of Iraq.

I immediately scrutinize everything I do know about them because that is a bright red flag that they probably are not.

Could be worse, some people think that's enough interaction to tell you they love you.

I know a guy who would start every grossly exaggerated story with “to be completely honest”

To be honest, they’re probably lying

Someone who does that is either terribly naive, or terribly inexperienced in the online world, or full of shit.

That the word "honest" even came up is suspect. Sounds too much like Trump.

There is the one way....stick around to give them opportunity to prove it

Seems like that is a staple of scammer vocabulary.

If the word honest is followed by stable genius, I'd run

I would just ignore the comment.

Sounds fishy to me. Next they’ll be asking for money.

I will ask: what do you mean being honest? Maybe this person will answer but keep asking questions until this person gets tired. "Scammers"

I tell them that eventually I will know rather or not that is true.

"Believe me, many people say I'm honest...very stable and honest!"

Honest and intelligent people have no reason to state such things about themselves.

That person is the Judge, jury and the accused...

It depends what they say in that one sentence.

I say, "OK" then I either go about my business like normal, continue whatever conversation we are having, or let them explain why they are honest then I change the subject to something more interesting.

True honesty is demonstrated, not told.

That's a huge red flag! I have had the same experience, in business, when people found it important to announce, shortly after we met, "I are a Christian". Then when something new comes up the they "have to pray on it". That only happened a few times and each time the "Christian" pretty blatantly attempted to rip me off or proved themselves to be degenerates.

Honesty is something that needs to be demonstrated over time. Not simply asserted.

I always assume someone is honest until they prove me wrong. When someone tells me they are honest l am suspicious. Why would you assume l would think you are not.

he's gaslighting or soon will be

I trust them about as far as I can throw them.

They are dishonest. Claiming of honesty is dishonesty. (আপনারে ভালো বলে ভালো সেই নয় ৷ লোকে যারে ভালো বলে ভালো সেই হয় ৷) (AAPONARAE BHAALO BOLAE BHAALO SEI NOY . LOKAE JAARAE BHAALO BAOLE BHAALO SEI HOY)This is a bengali proverb which means if says he is honest , then heor she is not honest . Whom the people says honest then he or she would be the honest.