Method and apparatus for protecting personal information and for verifying identities

• US 20030070101A1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James S. Buscemi
• Original Assignee: James S. Buscemi
• Inventors: Buscemi, James S.
• Application Number:
  US10/267,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for protecting private information and for verifying the identity of an individual, preferably as part of a commercial transaction. The present invention utilizes an electronic data base which contains information regarding the individual and a personal key which is associated with the private information. In the preferred embodiment, the private information is a Social Security Number. Alternative embodiments of the present invention utilize keys which are single use keys, multi-use keys or keys which have an expiration date. Alternative embodiments allow for the key to be received through a web browser interface, over a telephone or by other common electronic communication means. The subscriber can also enable a verification block feature so as to prevent the use of the private information for a period of time, thereby combating identity theft.

Claims

1. A method for verifying the identity of a person, the method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving a personal key from a person whose identity is to be verified;

b. transmitting the personal key to an electronic system, said electronic system containing personal information regarding the individual whose identity is to be verified; and

,

c. receiving a confirmation from said computer system that the personal key is linked to the personal information of the individual whose identity is sought to be verified.

2. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 1 wherein the personal information is a Social Security Number.

3. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 2 wherein the person whose identity is to be verified provides the personal key to a merchant and the merchant transmits the personal key to a lock service in order to verify that the social security number provided by the individual is associated with the personal key at the lock service.

4. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 2 wherein the person whose identification is being verified is engaged in a commercial transaction.

5. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 3 wherein the personal key is received in response to entering a code on a telephone.

6. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 3 wherein the personal key expires after one use.

7. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 3 wherein the personal key expires on a date certain.

8. A method for verifying the identity of a person, the method comprising:

a. storing personal information regarding one or more persons in an electronic database;

b. receiving an electromagnetic signal pursuant to which the verification of personal information of one or more persons is requested;

c. verifying that the information in the electromagnetic signal is linked to certain personal information in the electronic database for one or more persons; and

d. confirming that the information in the electromagnetic signal and certain personal information are linked in the computer database.

9. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the personal information is a Social Security Number.

10. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the person whose identification is being verified is engaged in a commercial transaction.

11. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the person whose identity is to be verified provides the personal key to a merchant and the merchant transmits the personal key to a lock service in order to verify that the social security number provided by the individual is associated with the personal key at the lock service.

12. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the personal key is received in response to entering a code on a telephone.

13. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the personal key expires after one use.

14. A method of verifying the identity of a person of claim 8 wherein the personal key expires on a date certain.

15. A system for protecting personal information comprising:

a. a computer system, said computer system including an electronic data storage device and operating instructions to manipulate data stored in said data storage device;

b. a personal key, said personal key being associated with data stored in said data storage device; and

,

c. a communication interface, said communication interface being arranged to receive requests for verification from one or more sources and transmit a result of the manipulation of the data in the data storage device in response thereto.

16. A method of protecting personal information of claim 15, wherein the personal information is a Social Security Number.

17. A method of protecting personal information of claim 16 wherein a verification block is enabled such that any personal key associated with such personal information declines to verify the personal information.

18. A method of protecting personal information of claim 16 wherein the verification block is enabled in response to entering a code on a telephone.

19. A method of protecting personal information of claim 16 wherein the verification block alerts law enforcement authorities to the attempted use.

20. A method of protecting personal information of claim 16 wherein the verification block expires on a date certain.

21. A method for verifying personal information provided to a merchant by an individual in a commercial transaction, the steps comprising:

a. providing a code to the merchant together with personal information;

b. communicating the code and the personal information to computer for verifying that the code and the personal information is linked in the database of the computer; and

,

c. receiving a confirmation that the code and the personal information are linked in the database of the computer before consummating the commercial transaction.

22. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 21, wherein the personal information is a Social Security Number.

23. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 21 wherein the person whose identity is to be verified provides the personal key to a merchant and the merchant transmits the personal key to a lock service in order to verify that the social security number provided by the individual is associated with the personal key at the lock service.

24. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 21 wherein the personal key is received in response to entering a code on a telephone.

25. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 21 wherein the personal key expires after one use.

26. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 21 wherein the personal key expires on a date certain.

27. A system for protecting personal information, the system comprising:

a. an electronic data storage device, said electronic data storage device containing personal information for at least one individual;

b. a personal key generator, said personal key generator arranged to generate a personal key in response to a request by a person whose information is stored in the electronic data storage device;

c. a communication interface, said communication interface being in selective communication with said electronic data storage device and said personal key generator so as to respond to at least one of;

a request for the generation of a personal key, a request to transmit a personal key, and a request to verify that the personal information stored in said electronic storage device is associated with a previously generated personal key.

28. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 27, wherein the personal information is a Social Security Number.

29. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 28 wherein the person whose identity is to be verified provides the personal key to a merchant and the merchant transmits the personal key to a lock service in order to verify that the social security number provided by the individual is associated with the personal key at the lock service.

30. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 28 wherein the personal key is received in response to entering a code on a telephone.

31. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 28 wherein the personal key expires after one use.

32. A method of verifying the identity of a person engaged in a commercial transaction of claim 28 wherein the personal key expires on a date certain.