Method and system for monitoring electronic purchases and cash-withdrawals

• US 20060237531A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockip LLC, Spriv LLC
• Original Assignee: Lockip LLC
• Inventors: Heffez, Guy, Wood, Christopher, Heffez, Jacob
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing

Abstract

A method for facilitating the detection of misuse of an identity during an electronic transaction. The invention comprises at least five embodiments. In a first embodiment, the method comprises the step of: receiving a notification to authenticate the use of an identity at a first location, wherein the identity is associated with a first wireless terminal; determining an approximate location of the first wireless terminal based on cached position information, the approximate location of the first wireless terminal being a second location; determining whether the first and second locations match in geographical proximity; and generating an alert if the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity. In a second embodiment, an approximate location of the first wireless terminal is determined based on cached position information stored on a GPS position database.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the detection of misuse of an identity during an electronic transaction at a first location, comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification to authenticate the use of an identity at the first location, wherein the identity is associated with a first wireless terminal;

determining an approximate location of the first wireless terminal based on a cached pre-transaction position, the approximate location of the first wireless terminal being a second location;

determining whether the first and second locations match in geographical proximity; and

generating an alert if the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cached pre-transaction position is stored on a position database operably coupled to a wireless provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cached pre-transaction position stored on the first wireless terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cached pre-transaction position stored on a financial institution'"'"'s computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity is at least one identity selected from the group consisting of:

a credit card number, an account number, a debit card identification number, a driver'"'"'s license number, a name and address, a social security number, a telephone number, a finger print, an iris scan identity, retina scan identity, a membership identity, and any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, and wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is a reply message for blocking an associated electronic transaction at the first location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, and wherein the advisory message is communicated to the first wireless terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is a non-authorization message communicated to an electronic transaction terminal 120 at the first location, wherein the alert prevents a transaction associated with the identity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is a reply message for blocking the use of the identity by an electronic transaction device at the first location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is the first wireless terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is a second wireless terminal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) capable of communicating with a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is a laptop computer capable of communicating with a wireless network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is a message server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is an email server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, and wherein the predetermined device is a cell phone.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is an advisory message, wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device, wherein the predetermined device is the first wireless terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert message is sent to at least one predetermined device in response to a determination that the first location is more than a predetermined distance away from the second location.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity includes a first time stamp, wherein the first time stamp corresponds to the time of the associated electronic transaction performed at the first location, and wherein the step of reading the cached location is associated with a second time stamp.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of calculating a speed, wherein the speed is based on the distance between the first and second locations and the time difference between the first and second time stamps, whereby the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity if the speed is above a predetermined value.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity then a confidence score is calculated to determine if the position mismatch with respect to the first and second locations is acceptable or unacceptable, and wherein the alert is only generated if the confidence score is below a predetermined threshold.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the cached position information is in the form of cached GPS position information stored on the first wireless terminal, and the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of updating the cached position information with an inertial navigation system correction performed by the first wireless terminal to provide an updated location of the first wireless terminal, the updated location being the second location.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of detecting whether GPS signals are being received by the first wireless terminal to determine a post-transaction position of the first wireless terminal, the post-transaction position being the second location, wherein the step of detecting whether sufficient GPS signals are being received by the first wireless terminal for the first terminal to determine a post-transaction position is only performed if cached position information is not stored on the first wireless terminal or if the cached position information is stale, and wherein the cached position information is regarded as stale if the information has not been updated for a predetermined time period.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of detecting a WiFi Unique ID associated with the position of the first wireless terminal, and converting the WiFi unique ID into a post-transaction location for the first wireless terminal, the post-transaction location being the second location, and wherein the step of detecting a WiFi Unique ID is only performed if cached position information is not stored on the first wireless terminal.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of detecting a WiFi Unique ID associated with the position of the first wireless terminal, and converting the WiFi unique ID into a post-transaction location for the first wireless terminal, the post-transaction location being the second location, wherein the step of detecting a WiFi Unique ID is only performed if the cached position information is stale, and wherein the cached position information is regarded as stale if the information has not been updated for a predetermined time period.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of detecting a WiMAX Unique ID associated with the position of the first terminal, and converting the WiMAX Unique ID into a post-transaction location for the first wireless terminal, the post-transaction location being the second location, and wherein the step of detecting a WiMAX Unique ID is only performed if cached position information is not stored on the first wireless terminal.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of detecting a WiMAX Unique ID associated with the position of the first terminal, and converting the WiMAX Unique ID into a post-transaction location for the first wireless terminal, the post-transaction location being the second location, wherein the step of detecting a WiMAX Unique ID is only performed if the cached position information is stale, and wherein the cached position information is regarded as stale if the information has not been updated for a predetermined time period.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of obtaining a post-transaction position for the first wireless terminal as soon as the first wireless terminal is able to receive GPS signals to calculate its post-transaction position, the post-transaction position being the second location, and wherein the step of obtaining a post-transaction position is only performed if cached position information is not stored on the first wireless terminal.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of obtaining a post-transaction position for the first wireless terminal as soon as the first wireless terminal is able to receive GPS signals to calculate its post-transaction position, the post-transaction position being the second location, wherein the step of obtaining a post-transaction position is only performed if the cached position information is stale, and wherein the cached position information is regarded as stale if the information has not been updated for a predetermined time period.

31. A method for facilitating the detection of misuse of an identity during an electronic transaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification to authenticate the use of an identity at a first location, wherein the identity is associated with a first wireless terminal;

determining an approximate location of the first wireless terminal based on cached position information stored on a GPS position database, the approximate location of the first wireless terminal being a second location;

determining whether the first and second locations match in geographical proximity; and

generating an alert if the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the GPS position database is operatively coupled to a financial institution'"'"'s computer.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the GPS position database is operatively coupled to a wireless provider.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the identity is at least one identity selected from the group consisting of:

a credit card number, an account number, a debit card identification number, a driver'"'"'s license number, a name and address, a social security number, a telephone number, a finger print, an iris scan identity, retina scan identity, a membership identity, and any combination thereof.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the alert is an advisory message, and wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the alert is a reply message for blocking the use of the identity by an electronic transaction device at the first location.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the cached GPS position information is stored on the first wireless terminal, and the step of determining the second location further comprises the step of updating the cached position information with an inertial navigation system correction performed by the first wireless terminal to provide an updated location of the first wireless terminal, the updated location being the second location.

38. A method for facilitating the detection of misuse of an identity during an electronic transaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving a notification to authenticate the use of an identity at a first location, wherein the identity is associated with a first wireless terminal;

determining a second location, wherein the second location is the location of the first wireless terminal, and wherein the second location is determined by accessing a position database, wherein the position database is used for caching the most recent location of the first wireless terminal;

determining whether the first and second locations match in geographical proximity;

determining a post-transaction location of the first wireless terminal if the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity, the post-transaction location of the first wireless terminal being a third location; and

generating an alert if;

(1) the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity and (2) the first and third locations do not match in geographical proximity.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the post-transaction location is determined based on a method selected from the group consisting of:

processing post-transaction GPS signals, WiFi unique ID, and WiMax unique ID, and any combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the cached position information is stored on the first wireless terminal.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the cached position information is stored on a position database operatively coupled to a financial institution'"'"'s computer.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the cached position information is stored on a position database operatively coupled to a wireless provider.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the identity is selected from the group consisting of:

a credit card number, an account number, a debit card identification number, a driver'"'"'s license number, a name and address, a social security number, a telephone number, a finger print, an iris scan identity, a retina scan identity, a membership identity, and any combination thereof.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the alert is an advisory message, and wherein the advisory message is communicated to at least one predetermined device.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the alert is a reply message for blocking the use of the identity at the first location.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the first and second locations do not match in geographical proximity if the first location is more than a predetermined distance away from the second location.