METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING ELECTRONIC DISPUTE RESOLUTION

• US 20080059351A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Richey, David Van Horn, Lisa Bernhard, Marie King
• Original Assignee: David Richey, David Van Horn, Lisa Bernhard, Marie King
• Inventors: Richey, David, King, Marie, Van Horn, David, Bernhard, Lisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/182 Alternative dispute resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A system for facilitating payment transaction disputes is provided. According to one aspect of the system, a user, such as an issuer, is allowed to use the system to resolve a disputed transaction. Based on information provided by a cardholder, the issuer is able to use the system to retrieve transactional information relating to the disputed transaction reported by the customer for review. When the issuer uses the system to retrieve information relating to the disputed transaction, a case folder is created. The case folder is a repository for storing all the relevant information and documentation relating to the disputed transaction. Using the information retrieved by the system, the issuer then determines whether to initiate a dispute. Alternatively, the system can also be used by an acquirer to respond to a dispute, usually on behalf of one of its merchant. If a dispute is responded to, a questionnaire is then created by the system. Alternatively, the issuer may decline to initiate a dispute and either seek additional information from the cardholder or deny the cardholder'"'"'s inquiry. The case folder and the questionnaire are created for a specific disputed transaction. The questionnaire is designed to capture information from the cardholder and/or the issuer relating to the disputed transaction. The questionnaire may be pre-populated with previously retrieved transactional information which is stored in the case folder. Relevant documents in support of the disputed transaction may also be attached as part of the questionnaire. Various parties to the dispute may then provide relevant information (including supporting documentation) to the system. The relevant information provided by the parties is maintained in the case folder. The system then keeps track of the relevant timeframes for the case folder to ensure that each party to the dispute is given the correct period of time to respond during the processing of a dispute. Prior to filing the dispute for arbitration or compliance, the system permits the parties to resolve the dispute amongst themselves without the help of an arbiter through pre-arbitration and pre-compliance. If the parties to the dispute are unable to resolve the dispute on their own, the system also permits the parties to resolve the dispute via arbitration or compliance with the help of an arbiter. The system provides the arbiter with access to the case folder to allow the arbiter to render an informed decision on the dispute.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method comprising:

displaying a questionnaire to a first user after the first user initiates a dispute with a second user regarding a disputed transaction between the first user and the second user;

transmitting to an online dispute resolution system a response to the questionnaire including information relating to the disputed transaction from the first user; and

displaying an alert to the first user for an action that needs to be completed by the first user as part of a resolution process for resolving the disputed transaction.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying information from the second user who is a party to the disputed transaction.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying information to the first user of a timeframe with respect to a pre-compliance period or a pre-arbitration period before the disputed transaction is permitted to move into compliance or arbitration.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the disputed transaction is linked to one or more other disputed transactions.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving a chargeback.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising electronically attaching one or more supporting documents with the questionnaire before transmitting the questionnaire to the online dispute resolution system.

8. A system comprising:

control logic configured to display a questionnaire to a first user after the first user initiates a dispute with a second user regarding a disputed transaction between the first user and the second user;

control logic configured to transmit to an online dispute resolution system a response to the questionnaire including information relating to the disputed transaction from the first user; and

control logic configured to display an alert to the first user for an action that needs to be completed by the first user as part of a resolution process for resolving the disputed transaction.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising control logic configured to display information from the second user who is a party to the disputed transaction.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising control logic configured to display information to the first user of a timeframe with respect to a pre-compliance period or a pre-arbitration period before the disputed transaction is permitted to move into compliance or arbitration.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising control logic configured to allow the user to link the disputed transaction to one or more other disputed transactions.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising control logic configured to receive a chargeback.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising control logic configured to allow the first user to electronically attach one or more supporting documents with the response to the questionnaire.

14. A system comprising:

a transaction record storage system storing transactional information relating to a plurality of transactions; and

an online dispute resolution system operatively coupled to the transaction record storage system, wherein the online dispute resolution system comprises

control logic allowing a first user to query and receive information relating to a transaction involving the first user and a second user,

control logic allowing the first user to initiate a dispute with respect to the transaction with the second party, wherein the transaction is thereafter a disputed transaction,

control logic allowing the first user to submit information supporting fraud in regards to the disputed transaction, and

control logic allowing the online dispute resolution system to communicate with external fraud sources.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the online dispute resolution system further comprises control logic allowing the first user to search the transaction record storage system for at least one of the following:

fraud trends;

excessive chargeback patterns;

identification of cardholders disputing similar transactions;

credit to transaction ratios; and

activity below a floor limit.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the online dispute resolution system further comprises control logic calculating a merchant fraud score.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the external fraud sources comprise one or more of the following:

risk identification service (RIS),

convenience check fraud reporting, and

Better Business Bureau interface.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the online dispute resolution system further comprises control logic allowing the first user to authorize transaction data to be exchanged with other parties during fraud investigation.

19. A method comprising:

storing transactional information relating to a plurality of transactions;

receiving a request from a first user for requested information relating to a transaction involving the first user and a second user;

communicating the requested information to the first user;

allowing the first user to initiate a dispute with respect to the transaction with the second party, wherein the transaction is thereafter a disputed transaction;

receiving information supporting fraud from the first user in regards to the disputed transaction; and

communicating with external fraud sources.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising searching the plurality of transactions for at least one of the following:

fraud trends;

excessive chargeback patterns;

identification of cardholders disputing similar transactions;

credit to transaction ratios; and

activity below a floor limit.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising allowing the first user to authorize transaction data to be exchanged with other parties during a fraud investigation.