SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING POSTAGE FRAUD USING AN INDEXED LOOKUP PROCEDURE
First Claim
1. A method for detecting postage fraud using an indexed lookup procedure, comprising:
- generating, at a postage-issuing computer system, a unique postage indicium that contains a unique tracking number allocated to a postage transaction, wherein the unique tracking number allocated to the postage transaction provides a mail piece tracking capability within the United States Postal Service (USPS);
indexing the postage transaction with the unique tracking number contained in the unique postage indicium and allocated to the postage transaction;
receiving, at the postage-issuing computer system, a request to validate a printed postage indicium carried on a mail piece received at the USPS, wherein the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece contains the unique tracking number allocated to the indexed postage transaction; and
validating the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has not been used on any mail pieces previously handled by the USPS.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for using an indexing identifier (such as, e.g., a tracking identifier or the combination of a postage vendor ID, user account, and piece count) to decrease the size of the postage indicium transmitted to an end user computer, or eliminate transmission of the postage indicium altogether, is provided. When the postage indicium for the end user computer is generated, it is stored, and the indexing identifier, rather than the postage indicium, is transmitted to the end user computer. The indexing identifier is applied to a mail piece, which is then scanned by the postal authority. The postal authority can obtain the stored postage indicium by reference to the indexing identifier. In this manner, the postal authority has access to the postage indicium without having to apply it to the mail piece. The indexing identifiers can optionally be used to index sender identification information for verifying that the sender of a mail piece is a trusted individual or entity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting postage fraud using an indexed lookup procedure, comprising:
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generating, at a postage-issuing computer system, a unique postage indicium that contains a unique tracking number allocated to a postage transaction, wherein the unique tracking number allocated to the postage transaction provides a mail piece tracking capability within the United States Postal Service (USPS); indexing the postage transaction with the unique tracking number contained in the unique postage indicium and allocated to the postage transaction; receiving, at the postage-issuing computer system, a request to validate a printed postage indicium carried on a mail piece received at the USPS, wherein the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece contains the unique tracking number allocated to the indexed postage transaction; and validating the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has not been used on any mail pieces previously handled by the USPS. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A postage-issuing computer system for detecting postage fraud using an indexed lookup procedure, wherein the postage-issuing computer system comprises one or more processors configured to:
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generate a unique postage indicium that contains a unique tracking number allocated to a postage transaction, wherein the unique tracking number allocated to the postage transaction provides the mail piece tracking capability within the United States Postal Service (USPS); index the postage transaction with the unique tracking number contained in the unique postage indicium and allocated to the postage transaction; receive a request to validate a printed postage indicium carried on a mail piece received at the USPS, wherein the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece contains the unique tracking number allocated to the indexed postage transaction; and validate the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has not been used on any mail pieces previously handled by the USPS. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for detecting postage fraud using an indexed lookup procedure, comprising:
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generating, at a postage-issuing computer system, a unique postage indicium that contains a unique tracking number allocated to a postage transaction, wherein the unique tracking number allocated to the postage transaction provides a mail piece tracking capability within the United States Postal Service (USPS); indexing the postage transaction with the unique tracking number contained in the unique postage indicium and allocated to the postage transaction; receiving, at the postage-issuing computer system, a request to validate a printed postage indicium carried on a mail piece received at the USPS, wherein the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece contains the unique tracking number allocated to the indexed postage transaction; and processing the request to validate the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece, wherein processing the request to validate the printed postage indicium includes; validating the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has not been used on any mail pieces previously handled by the USPS; and generating an alert indicating that the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece may potentially be fraudulent in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has been used on one or more mail pieces previously handled by the USPS.
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20. A postage-issuing computer system for detecting postage fraud using an indexed lookup procedure, wherein the postage-issuing computer system comprises one or more processors configured to:
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generate a unique postage indicium that contains a unique tracking number allocated to a postage transaction, wherein the unique tracking number allocated to the postage transaction provides a mail piece tracking capability within the United States Postal Service (USPS); index the postage transaction with the unique tracking number contained in the unique postage indicium and allocated to the postage transaction; receive a request to validate a printed postage indicium carried on a mail piece received at the USPS, wherein the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece contains the unique tracking number allocated to the indexed postage transaction; and process the request to validate the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece, wherein to process the request to validate the printed postage indicium, the one or more processors are further configured to; validate the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has not been used on any mail pieces previously handled by the USPS; and generate an alert indicating that the printed postage indicium carried on the mail piece may potentially be fraudulent in response to determining that the unique tracking number contained in the printed postage indicium and allocated to the indexed postage transaction has been used on one or more mail pieces previously handled by the USPS.
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Specification