SYSTEMS AND METHODS WHEREIN A CREDIT PRODUCT IS OFFERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH USAGE OF A PRE-PAID CARD ACCOUNT

• US 20090171838A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Alexander A., Hynes, Ron
• Application Number:
  US11/965,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a consumer is associated with a pre-paid card account. Purchase transactions for the consumer may be facilitated via the pre-paid card account, including a transfer of funds out of the pre-paid card account. Funds may also be transferred for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account. The consumer'"'"'s usage of the pre-paid card account may be tracked, and at least one credit product to be offered to the consumer may be determined based on said tracking.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

associating a consumer with a pre-paid card account;

facilitating purchase transactions for the consumer via the pre-paid card account, including transferring funds out of the pre-paid card account;

transferring funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account;

tracking the consumer'"'"'s usage of the pre-paid card account; and

determining at least one credit product to be offered to the consumer based on said tracking.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering the determined credit product to the consumer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the credit product offered to the consumer comprises at least of:

(i) a traditional credit card account, (ii) a private label credit card account, (iii) a card account with overdraft protection, or (iv) a partially secured credit card account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the credit product is linked to the pre-paid card account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining is further based on credit bureau data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-paid card account is co-branded with a retail partner.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating comprises:

issuing a pre-paid card to the consumer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the steps are performed by a financial institution acting as at least one of a bank account or a debit card processor substitute.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said facilitating is performed to allow point-of-sale purchases by the consumer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating access to funds in the pre-paid card account, by the consumer, via an automated teller machine device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said transferring funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account is associated with a direct deposit of payroll funds.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said transferring funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account is associated with re-loading the funds, by the consumer, at a merchant location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the purchase transactions facilitated for the consumer are associated with at least one of online purchases or bill paying.

14. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

associating a consumer with a pre-paid card account;

receiving a transaction request, associated with the pre-paid card account, from a remote merchant device;

transmitting a transaction approval to the remote merchant device;

transferring funds out of the pre-paid card account based on the transaction request;

receiving a re-load indication from the consumer;

transferring funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account in response to the re-load request;

storing transaction information associated with the consumer'"'"'s usage of the pre-paid card account;

receiving from a third-party supplemental information associated with the consumer;

based on the stored transaction information and the supplemental information, generating a score associated with the consumer;

offering a first credit product to the consumer if the score is in a pre-determined relationship with a first threshold value; and

offering a second credit product to the consumer if the score is in a pre-determined relationship with a second threshold value.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

associate a consumer with a pre-paid card account;

facilitate purchase transactions for the consumer via the pre-paid card account, including transferring funds out of the pre-paid card account;

transfer funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account;

track the consumer'"'"'s usage of the pre-paid card account; and

determine at least one credit product to be offered to the consumer based on said tracking.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said storage device further stores at least one of:

(i) a consumer database, (ii) a pre-paid card account database, or (iii) a credit product database.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication device coupled to said processor and adapted to communicate with at least one of;

(i) a point of sale device, (ii) an automated teller machine device, (iii) a consumer device, or (iv) a credit bureau device.

18. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method of offering credit products to consumers, said method comprising:

associating a consumer with a pre-paid card account;

facilitating purchase transactions for the consumer via the pre-paid card account, including transferring funds out of the pre-paid card account;

transferring funds for the consumer to re-load the pre-paid card account;

tracking the consumer'"'"'s usage of the pre-paid card account; and

selecting a credit product, from a plurality of potential credit products, to be offered to the consumer based on said tracking and supplemental information, from a credit bureau, associated with the consumer.

19. A method, comprising:

determining information associated with a consumer'"'"'s historical usage of a pre-paid card account, wherein the consumer;

(1) uses the pre-paid card account for purchase transactions, and (2) transfers funds to re-load the pre-paid card account; and

determining credit product offer information associated with the consumer based on said historical usage.