Is a report from a private investigator that solely uses telephone interviews with friends of an applicant classified as an investigative consumer report?

A report generated by a private investigator that relies solely on telephone interviews with the applicant's friends qualifies as an investigative consumer report because it goes beyond basic consumer credit information. Investigative consumer reports include information collected through personal interviews and inquiries into an individual’s character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or lifestyle.

The key aspect of an investigative consumer report is that it is based on information obtained through various forms of investigation, which can include interviews. In this case, since the report is based on interviews with acquaintances of the applicant, it constitutes an inquiry into the applicant's character and reputation, meeting the definition of an investigative consumer report as outlined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

The other options do not align with the definition set by the FCRA. The absence of additional documents does not disqualify the report from being classified as investigative, and consent, while important for many purposes under FCRA, does not change the nature of the report itself. Thus, the initial report qualifies regardless of these external factors as long as it is derived from personal interviews as mentioned.