Systems and methods for verifying identities in transactions

• US 10,402,824 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Michelsen, Michael J., Blair, Paul, Seifert, Dean, Cachey, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John M
• Application Number:
  US13/752,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20130138567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 705 44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions

Abstract

A computerized method of verifying the identity of an attendant operating a money transfer transaction device includes receiving at the money transfer transaction device a user identification and password from the attendant and receiving at the money transfer transaction device additional information from the attendant. The additional information relates to a security feature that limits access to the transaction device. The method also includes using the additional information, the user identification, and the password to evaluate whether to allow the attendant to operate the transaction device to process a transaction.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining identification information from an individual involved in a money transfer transaction, the method comprising:

displaying, on a transaction processing device, a prompt for entering identification information;

receiving, by the transaction processing device, transaction-related information relating to an identity of the individual, wherein the individual comprises an attendant assisting a sender or a recipient with a financial transaction, wherein the attendant is assisting the sender or the recipient on behalf of a money transfer service provider;

receiving, by the transaction processing device, identification information, wherein the identification information verifies information relating to the identity of the individual;

receiving, at a host computer, the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual to identify other related transaction records of previous funds transfers, wherein the other related transaction records have a same attendant which previously assisted a different sender and/or a different recipient;

storing, at the host computer, at least a portion of the transaction-related information and at least a portion of the identification information in a transaction record;

comparing, by the host computer, the identification information of the attendant to a database containing a list of identification information;

determining, by the host computer, that the transaction record triggers a flag for exceeding a threshold amount based on the other related transaction records;

in response to determining that the transaction record triggers the flag, outputting, by the host computer, a message indicating a need for additional information for completing the money transfer transaction;

receiving, from a card, at the transaction processing device, the additional information in a machine-readable format;

transmitting, from the transaction processing device, the additional information to the host computer;

authorizing, by the host computer, the money transfer transaction based at least in part on a positive authentication of the additional information; and

processing, at the host computer, the money transfer transaction based at least in part on the positive authentication.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, comparing the information relating to the identity of the individual to information obtained from a credit reporting agency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, comparing the information relating to the identity of the individual with information obtained from an identification information company.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the information relating to the identity of the individual with information in a list provided by law enforcement authorities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a biometric feature of the attendant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction-related information also includes information relating to a receiver in the financial transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is entered by inputting information into the transaction processing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is entered by inputting information into a peripheral device associated with the transaction processing device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, from an identification tool, the additional information which comprises a security code; and

comparing the security code with a verification code generated by the transaction processing device.

10. A system for obtaining identification information from an operator of a money transfer transaction processing device, the system comprising:

a transaction processing device configured to;

display a prompt for entering identification information;

receive transaction-related information relating to an identity of an individual, wherein the individual comprises an attendant assisting a sender or a recipient with a financial transaction, wherein the attendant is assisting the sender or the recipient on behalf of a money transfer service provider;

receive identification information, wherein the identification information verifies the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual;

receive, from a card, at the transaction processing device, additional information in a machine-readable format;

transmit, from the transaction processing device, the additional information to a host computer; and

a host computer system in communication with the transaction processing device, wherein the host computer system is configured to;

receive the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual to identify other related transaction records of previous funds transfers, wherein the other related transaction records have a same attendant which previously assisted a different sender and/or a different recipient;

store at least a portion of the transaction-related information and at least a portion of the identification information in a transaction record;

compare the identification information of the attendant to a database containing a list of identification information;

determine that the transaction record triggers a flag for exceeding a threshold amount based on the other related transaction records;

authorize the money transfer transaction based at least in part on a positive authentication of the additional information; and

process the money transfer transaction based at least in part on the positive authentication.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the host computer system is further configured to:

compare the transaction-related information with information in a transaction record relating to an aborted transaction.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the transaction processing device is further configured to:

compare the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual with information obtained from a credit reporting agency.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the transaction processing device is further configured to:

compare the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual with information obtained from an identification information company.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the transaction processing device is further configured to:

compare the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual with information in a list provided by a law enforcement authority.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for obtaining identification information from an individual involved in a money transfer transaction, having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

display a prompt for entering identification information;

receive transaction-related information relating to an identity of an individual, wherein the individual comprises an attendant assisting a sender or a recipient with a financial transaction, wherein the attendant is assisting the sender or the recipient on behalf of a money transfer service provider;

receive identification information, wherein the identification information verifies the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual;

receive the transaction-related information relating to the identity of the individual to identify other related transaction records of previous funds transfers, wherein the other related transaction records have a same attendant which previously assisted a different sender and/or a different recipient;

store at least a portion of the transaction-related information and at least a portion of the identification information in a transaction record;

compare the identification information of the attendant to a database containing a list of identification information;

determine that the transaction record triggers a flag for exceeding a threshold amount based on the other related transaction records;

in response to determining that the transaction record triggers the flag, output a message indicating a need for additional information for completing the money transfer transaction;

receive the additional information, wherein the additional information is stored in a machine-readable format on a card;

authorize the money transfer transaction based at least in part on a positive authentication of the additional information; and

process the money transfer transaction based at least in part on the positive authentication.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises a biometric feature of the attendant.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transaction-related information further includes information relating to the attendant.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein receiving identification information comprises receiving identification information from a transaction processing device.