15 Lies Told That Were So Believable the Truth Didn’t Come Out Until Years Later

When young, we’re often so naive we’ll believe anything we hear. Sometimes some of the biggest lies come from people that are closest to us. Some are made to keep us safe, while others use it as a way to manipulate and keep control. People share some of the biggest lies told that they believed for years.

1. Manager’s Special

A user said, “When I was a kid, I was told the supermarket orange sticker “manager special” items were the highest quality things in the store, and if we were good kids, we could pick some of it to go home with. Only in high school did I realize that was the freshly made stuff on clearance because it only had like one more day before expiration.”

2. Pure Manipulation

“That my friend had terminal cancer for three years. He was just a manipulative serial liar. Cut him off entirely, and he still stands by it to other people. Esophageal cancer doesn’t take that long when all you do is smoke and drink all day,” someone said.

3. The Rock

“Not me, but I convinced my sister for a few years that Dwayne Johnson and The Rock are indeed two different individuals,” someone said.

4. Dryer Lint

“When I was a kid, my mom told me dryer lint was poisonous, and I would die if I played with it. I found out in tenth grade in front of my peers. Lovely,” a user shared.

5. The Cape

Someone shared, “That the very pretty cape I got cuz I was feeling left out when my two best friends got Harry Potter capes was not actually a cape of any kind; it was a Christmas tree skirt.”

6. Jackalopes

One person answered, “Grandpa had a few Jackalope heads on the walls of his house. He was a hunter. He had many taxidermied animals on the wall. It never occurred to me that any were fake. I just thought there were big rabbits with horns up in the mountains. It wasn’t until I saw the Jackalope character on America’s Funniest People that I started to put it all together. I was 15.”

7. A Terrible Accident

“I was told I caused an accident resulting in 1.25 million dollars in damages. Seventeen years later and after having had heart surgery and rehabilitation because of this accident, I found out it was someone else’s fault entirely. My “family” told me it was my fault because they didn’t want to deal with going to court, and they thought I wouldn’t recover,” someone said.

8. Friendship

A user shared, “All through school, I lied to myself and told myself that I had friends and that they treated me well. It wasn’t until I was in my mid 20’s that I joined a community through a sport and found out how actual friends treat you. Until then, I just didn’t know any better.”

9. Bread Crust

“That the crust of bread was healthier. I was like 30 when I made a comment about it, and my husband died laughing. Thanks, Mom,” someone shared.

10. Relationships

“For years, I thought I’d be happy if I was in a relationship. Then I thought I’d be happy without one. I guess it doesn’t change anything about my happiness lmao,” someone shared.

11. Traffic Lights

A user said, “My father told me when I was four years old that the street crossing lights, the red, yellow, and green, were his invention, used worldwide. I believed him, and I remember that I even got into a fight at school because the others wouldn’t believe me.”

12. Worm Eggs

“My mom got me to stop chewing my nails by telling me that worm eggs were under them and they’d grow in my belly,” someone confessed.

13. College

A user shared, “College will make you wealthier compared to those who’ve never been to college. I don’t care what anyone says. Unless you’re wanting to become an engineer, teacher, lawyer, etc., college isn’t necessary. It’s just a pool of your money down the drain.“

14. Maple Syrup

A user shared, “That Aunt Jemima syrup was made with real maple syrup. I was 29 years old when I realized that it’s imitation flavor and high fructose corn syrup.”

15. The Sahara Desert

Someone shared, “At one point when I was young, my mom gaslit me to thinking that the Sahara desert wasn’t real. I was watching Wild Kratz, and I was talking about the Sahara desert, and she told me it wasn’t real and that I was crazy.’

More From Cents + Purpose

• 13 Things That Make You Realize You’re Getting Old
• 10 “Kid Things” That Adults Admit They Still Love

Inspired by this thread – photos for illustrative purposes only.