Kids who forgot to turn in their homework aren’t the only citizens who lie. At some point, everyone makes a mistake, misses a deadline, and the quickest response for most is to fabricate an excuse. Weather and broken planes cause late packages for a carrier, but individuals cause a lot too, and not all their explanations are to be trusted.

1. Injuries. It’s almost laughably obvious, but many ebay buyers have complained about not receiving a shipment in time because the seller hurt his back. Sure, accidents happen, and no one can diagnose a legitimate illness from an e-mail, but this is an excuse you can hold to the fire. If they have the energy to get to their computer, they have the energy to call UPS to pick up a package.

2. A misplaced order. Even if it’s just a woman selling her grandmother’s heirloom, that one transaction counts as a business, and she has a responsibility to track her orders. A good businesswoman will calendar everything, or at least save e-mails. This cannot be an excuse.

3. Blaming a carrier. It might sound like the easiest of all, but this excuse may have a lot of legitimacy. UPS and Fed Ex very often cause delays and fail in their promised deliveries. If a seller tells you this, ask for the tracking number. You can see the date of shipment to test their honesty, and then take up the issue with the company—who are obligated with their promise to offer late delivery refunds.