System and Method for Debt Presentment and Resolution

• US 20130159168A1
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Collections Marketing Center Incorporated (Ontario Systems, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Collections Marketing Center Incorporated (Ontario Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: Evans, Scott L.
• Application Number:
  US13/738,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A system and method for debt presentment and resolution through an Intranet or Internet content provider is disclosed. Said system and method include a plurality of “transaction communities” which are electronic forums allowing interaction between a plurality of debtors and creditors through means of electronic mail (e-mail) or other electronic communication means. The Internet/Intranet based software application allows said debtors to access and input information related to a particular debt with any Internet browser software. Said debtors are provided with the URL (Universal Resource Locator) for said content provider along with a unique identification code from the collection agency(s) through mail correspondence or other communication means. Upon said user entering said URL and entering said identification code, said user may then proceed to choose from a variety of settlement options listed on the HTML (HyperText Markup Language) page.

Claims

1. An apparatus for resolving a debt transaction, the debt transaction representing an amount of money owed by a debtor to a creditor, the apparatus comprising:

a server arrangement comprising;

means for contacting the debtor by transmitting a communication to the debtor using one of a number of available communication channels, wherein the communication invites the debtor to contact the server arrangement for the purpose of attempting to resolve the debt transaction;

a credit information seeking module configured to obtain debtor debt account information from a financial information source other than the server arrangement and the debtor in response to the debtor contacting the server arrangement;

a rules based decision module configured to employ only extracted data identified as pertinent from obtained debtor debt account information, the extracted data extracted in accordance with rules established by the creditor available to the rules based decision module, and analyze the extracted data in order to determine a potential resolution strategy for the debt transaction comprising a plurality of individualized transaction settlement offers based on creditworthiness of the debtor, wherein credit worthiness of the debtor comprises a calculated ability for the debtor to repay at least a portion of the debt transaction based on the extracted data identified as pertinent; and

a memory configured to maintain information related to the debt transaction and the rules employed by the rules based decision module;

wherein the server arrangement is configured to provide the debtor with the plurality of individualized transaction settlement offers, and the server arrangement is further configured to attempt to obtain agreement from the debtor to settle the debt transaction based on the plurality of individualized transaction settlement offers and process at least a portion of a payment by the debtor in settlement of the debt transaction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said credit information seeking module seeks personal credit information from a credit bureau by obtaining a credit report of the debtor from the credit bureau.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a parsing module configured to receive debtor debt account information and parse pertinent information from the debtor debt account information to produce the extracted data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a payment processing module configured to process at least a portion of a payment from the debtor once the debtor agrees to settle the debt transaction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a portfolio management module configured to manage a portfolio comprising a plurality of debts based on actions taken by multiple users and aspects associated with the portfolio.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decision module relies on at least one dictionary employed to translate received information into information used within the server arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the server arrangement is further configured to provide a transaction settlement offer set comprising at least two simultaneously presented selectable monetary offers of settlement formed according to the rules.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the available communication channel comprises one of:

a telephone communication channel;

a mail communication channel; and

an electronic communication channel.

9. An apparatus for resolving a debt transaction, the debt transaction representing an amount of money owed by a debtor to a creditor, the apparatus comprising:

a server arrangement comprising;

a credit information seeking module configured to obtain debtor debt account information from a financial information source other than the server arrangement and the debtor in response to the debtor contacting the server arrangement;

a decision module configured to employ only extracted data identified as pertinent from obtained debtor debt account information, the extracted data extracted in accordance with a set of rules established by the creditor available to the decision module, and analyze the extracted data identified as pertinent in order to determine a potential resolution strategy for the debt transaction; and

means for contacting the debtor by transmitting a communication to the debtor using one of a number of available communication channels, wherein the communication invites the debtor to contact the server arrangement for the purpose of attempting to resolve the debt transaction; and

a memory configured to maintain information related to the debt transaction and the set of rules established by the creditor;

wherein the server arrangement is configured to offer the debtor at least one payment option individualized for the debtor determined based on the extracted data, the at least one payment option differing from the amount of money owed by the debtor to the creditor, and the server arrangement is further configured to attempt to obtain agreement from the debtor to settle the debt transaction and process at least a portion of a payment by the debtor in settlement of the debt transaction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said credit information seeking module seeks personal credit information from a credit bureau by obtaining a credit report for the debtor from the credit bureau.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a parsing module configured to receive debtor debt account information and parse pertinent information from the debtor debt account information to produce the extracted data.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a payment processing module configured to process at least a portion of a payment from the debtor once the debtor agrees to settle the debt transaction.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a portfolio management module configured to manage a portfolio comprising a plurality of debts based on actions taken by multiple users and aspects associated with the portfolio.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the decision module relies on at least one dictionary employed to translate received information into information used within the server arrangement.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the server arrangement is further configured to provide a transaction settlement offer set comprising at least two simultaneously presented selectable monetary offers of settlement formed according to the rules.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the server arrangement is further configured to provide the transaction settlement offer set with an incentive to the debtor to resolve the debt by communications with the server arrangement.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the server arrangement is further configured to provide an alternative settlement offer set that differs from the transaction settlement offer set.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the available communication channel comprises one of:

a telephone communication channel;

a mail communication channel; and

an electronic communication channel.

19. An apparatus for resolving a debt transaction, the debt transaction representing an amount of money owed by a debtor to a creditor, the apparatus comprising:

a server arrangement comprising;

a communications module configured to contact the debtor by transmitting a communication inviting the debtor to contact the server arrangement for the purpose of attempting to resolve the debt transaction using one of a number of available communication channels;

a credit information seeking module configured to obtain a credit history for the debtor in response to the debtor contacting the server arrangement; and

a rules based engine configured to employ only extracted data identified as pertinent from obtained debtor debt account information, the extracted data extracted in accordance with rules established by the creditor available to the rules based engine, and determine a plurality of individualized transaction settlement offers depending on creditworthiness of the debtor based on the extracted data identified as pertinent, wherein creditworthiness of the debtor comprises a calculated ability of the debtor to repay at least a portion of the debt transaction based on the extracted data identified as pertinent; and

a memory configured to maintain information related to the debt transaction and the rules employed by the rules based engine;

wherein the server arrangement is configured to provide the at least plurality of transaction settlement offers in order to direct the debtor to a resolution of the transaction based on the rules and creditworthiness of the debtor.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said credit information seeking module seeks personal credit information from a credit bureau by obtaining a credit report of the debtor from the credit bureau.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a parsing module configured to receive debtor debt account information and parse relevant pertinent information from the debtor debt account information to produce the extracted data.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a payment processing module configured to process at least a portion of a payment from the debtor once the debtor agrees to settle the debt transaction.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the server arrangement further comprises a portfolio management module configured to manage a portfolio comprising a plurality of debts based on actions taken by multiple users and aspects associated with the portfolio.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the rules based engine relies on at least one dictionary employed to translate received information into information used within the server arrangement.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the server arrangement is further configured to provide a transaction settlement offer set comprising at least two simultaneously presented selectable monetary offers of settlement formed according to the rules.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the available communication channel comprises one of:

a telephone communication channel;

a mail communication channel; and

an electronic communication channel.