Systems and methods for accessing and using phone number validation information
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an input device configured to accept and to transmit a telephone number offered by an entity in conjunction with a proposed financial transaction;
a computer processor configured to receive the telephone number transmitted by the input device and to use the telephone number to assist in evaluating the risk of a financial transaction;
computer memory, accessible by the computer processor, wherein the computer memory stores a record of information indicative of the validity or non-validity of a telephone number offered in association with the financial transaction, and wherein the computer processor uses the information in the record, at least in part, to evaluate the risk of the financial transaction; and
a display apparatus configured to communicate to a clerk associated with the financial transaction an indication of the computer processor'"'"'s evaluation of the risk of the financial transaction.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for accessing information indicative of the validity or non-validity of a telephone number offered in association with a transaction and for using the information to better evaluate the risk of participating in the transaction. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation system accesses stored information about numerical patterning, formatting, and/or correlations that may help to distinguish between valid and non-valid telephone numbers. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation system accesses stored information about telephone numbers that have been previously determined to be valid or non-valid. In other embodiments, a telephone number validation system accesses a third party telephone number validation service that determines whether a telephone number offered in conjunction with a proposed financial transaction is valid or non-valid and that provides results regarding the validation determination to the telephone number validation system for use in evaluating the risk of a proposed transaction.
125 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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an input device configured to accept and to transmit a telephone number offered by an entity in conjunction with a proposed financial transaction;
a computer processor configured to receive the telephone number transmitted by the input device and to use the telephone number to assist in evaluating the risk of a financial transaction;
computer memory, accessible by the computer processor, wherein the computer memory stores a record of information indicative of the validity or non-validity of a telephone number offered in association with the financial transaction, and wherein the computer processor uses the information in the record, at least in part, to evaluate the risk of the financial transaction; and
a display apparatus configured to communicate to a clerk associated with the financial transaction an indication of the computer processor'"'"'s evaluation of the risk of the financial transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method for using a point of sale device to determine if a telephone number provided in association with a financial transaction is a valid number, the method comprising the acts of:
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receiving from a point of sale device input indicative of a telephone number from an entity participating in a financial transaction;
accessing with a computer, stored information associated with the telephone number that is indicative of whether the telephone number is a valid number;
determining, based at least in part on the stored information, whether the telephone number is a valid number; and
making the results of the determination available to an operator of the point of sale device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer-implemented method for determining if a telephone number provided in association with a financial transaction is a valid number, and for evaluating the risk associated with the financial transaction, based at least in part on the determination, the method comprising the acts of:
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receiving input indicative of a telephone number from an entity participating in a financial transaction;
accessing stored information associated with the telephone number that is indicative of whether the telephone number is a valid number; and
evaluating the risk of the financial transaction, based at least in part on whether the telephone number is a valid number. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A system for evaluating risk associated with a financial transaction, based at least in part on a determination of whether a telephone number provided in association with the financial transaction is a valid number, the system comprising:
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means for receiving input indicative of a telephone number from an entity participating in a financial transaction;
means for accessing stored information indicative of whether the telephone number is a valid number; and
means for evaluating risk associated with the financial transaction, based at least in part on the accessed information.
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31. A computer storage medium having instructions encoded thereon for determining whether a telephone number provided in association with a financial transaction is a valid number, and for evaluating, based at least in part on the determination, the risk of the financial transaction, the computer storage medium comprising:
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a computer encoded instruction for receiving input indicative of a telephone number for an entity participating in a financial transaction;
a computer encoded instruction for accessing stored information associated with the telephone number;
a computer encoded instruction for determining whether the stored information indicates that the telephone number is a valid number; and
a computer encoded instruction for evaluating the risk of the financial transaction, based at least in part on the determination.
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32. A device for assisting a sales person in assessing the risk of accepting a non-cash payment from an entity at a point of sale for a good or service, the device comprising:
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an input component that inputs at least a telephone number provided by the entity;
a verification component associated with the input component wherein the verification component verifies the validity of the telephone number; and
a display component that displays to the sales person the result of the verification of the validity of the telephone number to the sales person. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification