Consumers must give consent for which type of report to be prepared about them?

Consumers must give consent for investigative consumer reports because these reports delve deeper into personal information, such as a person's character, general reputation, personal habits, and lifestyle. The FCRA mandates that consumers be informed and provide written consent before such detailed investigations are conducted due to the sensitive nature of the information involved. This requirement is in place to protect consumer privacy and ensure they have control over their personal data.

In contrast, while consumers are also notified about the usage of credit reports and employment verification reports, consent in those cases is typically handled differently depending on the context and the relationships involved (such as the lender or employer directly engaging with the consumer). Service reports may not inherently require consumer consent in the same way investigative consumer reports do, as they often pertain to transactions that consumers are already aware of. Thus, the most significant requirement for consent lies in the preparation of investigative consumer reports.