I agree, it works on school administrators, too. I once missed a detention, (I was late to class) and I came right into the principal's office, and told him that I had forgotten, that it was completely my fault, and that I would be in detention that afternoon. It worked.
Unless you think that you really are smarter than the other person, honesty works better. However, lying is the better option. It's all about taking calculated risks.
-Penguin