Why would schools lie about being need blind or need aware? What would they gain by it? I think most schools really want those who apply to be able to attend and accept those who are qualified without worrying about need. If the student can’t afford it, that student goes somewhere else.
Schools that are trying to attract students by giving them money would do it by merit aid. Those who only give need based aid know from years of admission and financial aid cycles that a certain percentage will have great need and others will have no need. Some schools switch from need blind to need aware when they accept off the waitlist or accept international students, but those are mostly the ‘meets full need’ school. Other schools accept the students but do not give the need based aid all those student need to attend.
If you don’t trust the school FAO to be telling the truth about being need blind, don’t go to that school. There has to be a certain amount of trust on both sides as you’ll be dealing with these people for 4 years. If you are constantly worrying that you didn’t get as much as you were “promised” (by the NPC or an admissions officer or because you calculated it a different way) or that someone got more because he applied ED2, or that it just basically isn’t fair, you’ll be miserable for 4 years.