Private Investigator Exam Private Investigator Practice Exam 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which type of PI report requires the subject's written consent before it can be used for employment purposes?
- Public records searches
- Consumer credit reports (Correct answer)
- Social media activity reports
- Criminal conviction records from court filings
Correct answer: Consumer credit reports
The FCRA requires written consent from the subject before a consumer credit report can be obtained and used for employment screening.
Question 2: A PI is following a vehicle during surveillance and the subject parks and enters a private residence. The BEST next step is to:
- Knock on the door posing as a delivery person
- Maintain a stationary observation post nearby on public property (Correct answer)
- Follow the subject inside by waiting until the door is unlocked
- Hire a neighbor to report the subject's activities
Correct answer: Maintain a stationary observation post nearby on public property
Maintaining observation from public property respects privacy laws while allowing continued lawful surveillance.
Question 3: What does the term 'due diligence' mean in the context of a PI conducting an investigation?
- Paying all required licensing fees on time
- Taking all reasonable and lawful steps to gather complete and accurate information (Correct answer)
- Filing reports within 24 hours of completing surveillance
- Obtaining client approval before each investigative step
Correct answer: Taking all reasonable and lawful steps to gather complete and accurate information
Due diligence means taking all reasonable and lawful steps to ensure the investigation is thorough and the information gathered is accurate.
Question 4: A PI suspects that a subject is committing insurance fraud. The PI should FIRST:
- Confront the subject directly about the suspected fraud
- Report the fraud directly to law enforcement before the client
- Gather evidence through lawful means and report findings to the client (Correct answer)
- Contact the insurance company anonymously
Correct answer: Gather evidence through lawful means and report findings to the client
A PI's primary obligation is to gather evidence lawfully and report findings to the client, who can then decide on reporting to authorities.
Question 5: Which of the following correctly describes 'tailing' or mobile surveillance?
- Following a subject only in vehicles, never on foot
- Monitoring a subject's movements across various locations while remaining undetected (Correct answer)
- Using only stationary cameras to track a subject's route
- A technique reserved exclusively for law enforcement
Correct answer: Monitoring a subject's movements across various locations while remaining undetected
Mobile surveillance involves following a subject across multiple locations while maintaining cover to avoid detection.
Question 6: A PI is working on a domestic case and discovers evidence of child abuse. What is the appropriate action?
- Document and include the findings in the client's report only
- Immediately report the suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities as required by mandatory reporting laws (Correct answer)
- Confront the abuser directly to stop the abuse
- Inform only the client and let them decide whether to report
Correct answer: Immediately report the suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities as required by mandatory reporting laws
Most states have mandatory reporting laws that require anyone who suspects child abuse to report it to authorities, overriding client confidentiality.
Question 7: What is 'skip tracing' in private investigation?
- A technique for detecting electronic surveillance devices
- The process of locating a person who has left without providing a forwarding address (Correct answer)
- A method for tracing the origin of anonymous communications
- Recording a subject's movements over a set time period
Correct answer: The process of locating a person who has left without providing a forwarding address
Skip tracing is the process of locating a person who has 'skipped' town or become difficult to find, using public records, databases, and investigative techniques.
Private Investigator Exam Private Investigator Practice Exam 3
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which type of PI report requires the subject's written consent before it can be used for employment purposes?