Multi-bureau credit file freeze and unfreeze

• US 10,650,448 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2018
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Experian Information Solutions Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Original Assignee: Experian Information Solutions Incorporated (Experian plc)
• Inventors: Haller, Eric, Kent, Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojiaku, Chikaodinaka
• Application Number:
  US16/146,598
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein allow consumers to lock or unlock their credit files at multiple credit bureaus in real-time or near real-time. The service may allow a consumer to provide identifying information, such as a personal identifier to lock or unlock credit files at a plurality of credit bureaus over a network. Upon receiving the personal identifier, the system may use the personal identifier to translate the identifier into a plurality of access codes for respective credit bureaus, for example by accessing a data structure, such as a database or table, that stores a personal identifier and access codes that are associated with a consumer. The system may then use the access codes to automatically initiate locking or unlocking of credit files for the consumer at the respective credit bureaus.

Claims

1. A computing system configured to allow a user to remotely unlock credit data of the user at each of a plurality of credit bureaus, wherein the credit data of the user can be unlocked at the plurality of credit bureaus only with authorization from the user, the computing system comprising:

one or more computer hardware processors;

one or more computer readable medium storing;

a data structure indicating a first access protocol for a first credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus and a second access protocol for a second credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus;

executable instructions configured for execution by the one or more computer hardware processors to cause the computing system to;

receive a credit data sharing authorization from a user computing device operated by the user, the credit data sharing authorization indicating a request by the user to unlock credit data of the user at each of the first credit bureau and the second credit bureau;

in response to receiving the credit data sharing authorization;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a first access protocol associated with the first credit bureau usable to request unlocking of credit data of the user at the first credit bureau;

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau using the first access protocol;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a second access protocol associated with the second credit bureau usable to request unlocking of credit data of the user at the second credit bureau; and

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the second credit bureau using the second access protocol.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is further configured to request locking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau when a predetermined time period from unlocking the credit data of the user has passed.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the user computing device comprises at least one of:

a mobile device, a keypad, a card reader, a point of sale terminal, or a biometric data reader.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is further configured to:

receive, from the user computing device, an identification of a third party; and

in response to receiving, from the user computing device, the identification of the third party;

transmit a first access request for the first credit bureau to provide access to credit data of the user to the third party; and

transmit a second access request for the second credit bureau to provide access to credit data of the user to the third party.

5. The computing system of claim 1, wherein to request unlocking of the credit data at the first and second credit bureau occurs in real time or substantially in real time of receiving the credit data sharing authorization.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein to request unlocking of the credit data at the first credit bureau includes requesting unlocking of the credit data for access by the user computing device, wherein the user computing device provides at least a portion of the accessed credit data to a third party entity.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein to request unlocking of the credit data at the first credit bureau includes requesting unlocking of the credit data for access by a third party entity.

8. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computing system to, subsequent to the requesting unlocking of the credit data at the first credit bureau includes, requesting locking of the credit data after access of the credit data.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computing system to authenticate the user via at least one personal identifier (PID) received from the user computing device before requesting unlocking of the credit data at the first credit bureau.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the PID comprises at least one of:

a name, an address, a phone number, a date of birth, a maiden name, a social security number, an account number, a driver'"'"'s license number, a password, an RFID tag or token, biometric data, or a personal identification number.

11. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computing system to determine an access code of the first credit bureau corresponding to a personal identifier associated with the user, and wherein the request to unlock the credit data at the first credit bureau comprises the access code.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein to determine the access code of the first credit bureau comprises accessing a pointer of a linked list to correlate the access code with the user.

13. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computing system to request thawing of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau using the first access protocol.

14. A computerized method for allowing a user to remotely unlock credit data of the user at each of a plurality of credit bureaus, wherein the credit data of the user can be unlocked at the plurality of credit bureaus only with authorization from the user, the computerized method comprising:

providing a data structure indicating a first access protocol for a first credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus and a second access protocol for a second credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus;

receiving a credit data sharing authorization from a user computing device operated by a user, the credit data sharing authorization indicating a request by the user to unlock credit data of the user at each of the first credit bureau and the second credit bureau; and

in response to receiving the credit data sharing authorization;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a first access protocol associated with the first credit bureau;

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau using the first access protocol;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a second access protocol associated with the second credit bureau; and

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the second credit bureau using the second access protocol.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises requesting locking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau when a predetermined time period from unlocking the credit data of the user has passed.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the user computing device comprises at least one of:

a mobile device, a keypad, a card reader, a point of sale terminal, or a biometric data reader.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the user computing device, an identification of a third party; and

in response to receiving, from the user computing device, the identification of the third party;

transmitting a first access request for the first credit bureau to provide access to credit data of the user to the third party; and

transmitting a second access request for the second credit bureau to provide access to credit data of the user to the third party.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions executable by a computing system having one or more hardware processors, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executable on the computing system in order to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

providing a data structure indicating a first access protocol for a first credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus and a second access protocol for a second credit bureau of the plurality of credit bureaus;

receiving a credit data sharing authorization from a user computing device operated by a user, the credit data sharing authorization indicating a request by the user to unlock credit data of the user at each of the first credit bureau and the second credit bureau; and

in response to receiving the credit data sharing authorization;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a first access protocol associated with the first credit bureau;

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau using the first access protocol;

determine, based on access of the data structure, a second access protocol associated with the second credit bureau; and

request unlocking of the credit data of the user at the second credit bureau using the second access protocol.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise requesting locking of the credit data of the user at the first credit bureau when a predetermined time period from unlocking the credit data of the user has passed.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the user computing device comprises at least one of:

a mobile device, a keypad, a card reader, a point of sale terminal, or a biometric data reader.