Joseph Tecce, an associate professor of psychology at Boston College who has studied liars and lying, identifies six

types of untruths, some more egregious than others. He classifies them as: The protective lie, which can shield the liar from danger. The heroic lie, created to protect someone else from danger or punishment. The playful lie, such as an anglers fib about the size of his fish. The ego lie, designed to shield someone from embarrassment. The gainful lie, which somehow enriches the fibber. And the malicious lie, told to deliberately hurt someone else.

http://abusesanctuary.blogspot.ro/2007/07/liar-liar-how-to-tell-when-youre-not.html