Method and system for confirming personal identity

• US 20070177768A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aura Sub, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intersections Incorporated (Aura Sub, LLC)
• Inventors: Tsantes, George, Rohrbaugh, Tim, Kopf, Carolyn
• Granted Patent: US 7,333,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

An authentication utility may be provided to entities, such as businesses, organizations or even individuals, that require the identification, verification and control of the identity of another entity, for example, an individual, such as a consumer, employee, etc. The authentication utility may also determine and provide the financial and non-financial characteristics of an individual. Before entering into a relationship or transaction, an entity could verify the other party'"'"'s identity with the authentication utility.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for authentication of a second entity from a first entity, wherein the request includes identifying information that can identify the second entity;

performing an authenticating process of the second entity'"'"'s identity based at least on the identifying information in the request;

providing an authentication response to the first entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication process comprises:

determining if an identity profile exists for the individual based on the identifying information;

performing an identity verification process if no identity profile exists; and

performing an identity confirmation process and providing results of the identity confirmation to the entity if the identity profile exists.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identity confirmation process comprises:

prompting the individual to provide information that is included in their respective identity profile;

confirming the validity of the information; and

prompting the individual for second information if required based on the confirmation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information is at least one of biometric or personal information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the identity verification process comprises:

obtaining information about the individual from a database;

questioning the individual to elicit answers that should include the information;

and confirming the answers based on the information from the database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the authentication response is positive, providing insurance to the entity regarding the individual'"'"'s identity.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a cap on the insurance amount.

8. A method of authenticating identity, comprising:

receiving information about an individual;

confirming accuracy of the information;

determining a verification score based on the confirmation;

verifying the identity of the individual if the verification score exceeds a preselected threshold;

if verified;

receiving additional information about the individual from the individual;

confirming accuracy of at least some of the additional information;

creating an identity profile based on the information and the additional information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is identifying information the additional information is profile information.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is received from one of the individual or a business.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the identity profile in a data store.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional information includes at least one of biometric information or personal information.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a message to an entity that the individual failed verification when the verification score does not exceed the preselected threshold.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the confirming steps comprise:

communicating with a database to obtain data regarding the individual;

comparing the data with the information to confirm the information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

poring questions to the individual to elicit the information for which corresponding data has already been obtained.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising, performing a fraud analysis based on at least one of the information received from the individual and a context of the information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the context includes at least one of an IP address, a structure of a request, or a pattern of requests.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising performing the fraud analysis as one of a real time process or a batch process.

19. A method for authenticating identity, comprising:

receiving a request from an individual to enroll in an identity confirmation service via one of a plurality of access channels;

authenticating the individual'"'"'s identity;

credentialing the individual for at least two of the plurality of channels during an enrollment process.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of access channels includes telephone, in person or online channels.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein credentialing includes:

obtaining at least one of biometric information or personal information regarding the individual; and

storing the at least one of biometric information or personal information regarding the individual in a central data store for use during a subsequent identity confirmation process.

22. A system for identify confirmation, comprising:

an identity verification module for receiving a request for authentication of a second entity from a first entity, wherein the request includes information that can identify the second entity and for performing an authenticating process for the second entity'"'"'s identity based at least on the information in the request;

an identity capture module for receiving additional information about the individual from the individual if the individual passes the authentication process, confirming accuracy of at least some of the additional information, and creating an identity profile based on the information and the additional information; and

an identity confirmation module for prompting the individual during a subsequent transaction to provide confirmation information that is included in their respective identity profile, confirming the validity of the confirmation information; and

prompting the individual for second information based on the confirmation.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the identity verification module performs the following steps:

receiving information about an individual;

confirming accuracy of the information;

determining a verification score based on the confirmation;

verifying the identity of the individual if the verification score exceeds a preselected threshold.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the confirmation information is at least one of biometric or personal information.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising a scoring engine for generating an authentication score.

26. The system of claim 22, further comprising a data store for storing fraudster information, the data store being in communication with the identity confirmation module.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the data store is a shared data store accessible by the first entity.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the second entity must contribute information to the data store to be able to access the data store.