PROGRESSIVE CATEGORATION AND TREATMENT OF REFUND ABUSERS

• US 20100312676A1
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Muthukumaran, Arun
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided to manage on-line transactions by categorizing users who request refunds of purchases (e.g., digital goods) and requiring certain conditions to be met before a refund is issued or processed. The conditions change for different categories of users. In one embodiment, a refund process is made progressively harder or burdensome as users are categorized in worsening refund abuse categories.

Claims

1. A method of performing on-line transactions, comprising:

receiving information about a refund request from a user for a purchase made by the user;

categorizing the user into one of a plurality of refund abuse categories based on the information;

applying one of a plurality of different refund processing criteria based on which one of the refund abuse categories the user is categorized; and

refunding the purchase if conditions of the processing are met.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a payment provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a merchant.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of the refund abuse category the user is categorized.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of the refund abuse category the user is categorized if the refund abuse category changes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of conditions are the same for each refund abuse category.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions comprise responding to a Captcha, answering a set of questions, and waiting for a period of time to elapse before receiving a refund.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the number of characters in the Captcha is different for different refund abuse categories.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the number of questions is different for different refund abuse categories.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the period of time is different for different refund abuse categories.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the conditions further comprise an option for a merchant or a payment provider to refuse further transactions from the user.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining whether the set of questions was answered correctly.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchase is for digital goods.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the categorizing comprises determining a percentage of refunds for the user and an average number of days between a purchase and a refund over a set period of time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the refunding comprises crediting a purchase amount to the user'"'"'s account.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user'"'"'s account is maintained by a payment provider.

17. A machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server are adapted to cause the server to perform a method comprising:

receiving information about a refund request from a user for a purchase made by the user;

categorizing the user into one of a plurality of refund abuse categories based on the information;

applying one of a plurality of different refund processing criteria based on which one of the refund abuse categories the user is categorized; and

refunding the purchase if conditions of the processing are met.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises notifying the user of the refund abuse category the user is categorized.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the conditions comprise responding to a Captcha, answering a set of questions, and waiting for a period of time to elapse before receiving a refund.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the purchase is for digital goods.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the categorizing comprises determining a percentage of refunds for the user and an average number of days between a purchase and a refund over a set period of time.

22. A refund management system comprising:

means for receiving information about a refund request from a user for a purchase made by the user;

means for categorizing the user into one of a plurality of refund abuse categories based on the information;

means for applying one of a plurality of different refund processing criteria based on which one of the refund abuse categories the user is categorized; and

means for refunding the purchase if conditions of the processing are met.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the system is maintained by a payment provider.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for notifying the user of the refund abuse category the user is categorized if the refund abuse category changes.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the conditions comprise responding to a Captcha, answering a set of questions, and waiting for a period of time to elapse before receiving a refund.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the purchase is for digital goods.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the categorizing comprises determining a percentage of refunds for the user and an average number of days between a purchase and a refund over a set period of time.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the refunding comprises crediting a purchase amount to the user'"'"'s account.