Security system for validation of credit card transactions

• US 6,685,087 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/062,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/382, 705/16, 705/17, 705/18
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A method, computer program and system for alerting authorities during a transaction card authorization process, that a crime is in progress without alerting the perpetrator that an alert has been given. During a transaction card authorization process, the vendor attaches a code to the vendor identification sent to the authorization center. The code may be a normal code or a duress code. In either situation, the entered code is compared to the stored duress code. If a duress code has been entered, then the authorities are notified and the account transaction is approved, although at a slower rate than normal to provide authorities time to respond. Any attempt to contact the person under duress is delayed to avoid tipping off the perpetrator that an alarm has been sent.

Claims

1. A method for alerting authorities during transaction card authorization comprising:

receiving an authorization request message from a vendor regarding an account of a customer, wherein the authorization request includes a confirmation code of the vendor and wherein the confirmation code entered by the vendor selectively includes either a duress code or a normal code; and

notifying authorities of a suspected crime in progress if the confirmation code includes the duress code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the duress code is selected from one or more pre-determined alphanumeric characters added to the beginning of the confirmation code and one or more predetermined alphanumeric characters added to the end of the confirmation code.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

entering the duress code whenever the vendor suspects an account transaction to be criminal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

entering the normal code whenever the vendor does not suspect an account transaction to be criminal, wherein the normal code is any one or more alphanumeric characters other than the pre-determined alphanumeric characters of the duress code.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the vendor enters the duress code whenever the vendor suspects a transaction card used in the account transaction is stolen, the vendor suspects a debit card used in the account transaction is stolen, the vendor is under a threat to proceed with the transaction, a customer is under a threat to proceed with the transaction, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an account approval request from the vendor, wherein the sent duress code is contained in the confirmation code;

retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein the stored duress code is contained in the vendor record;

comparing the sent duress code with the stored duress code; and

notifying the authorities if the sent duress code matches the stored duress code.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the authorities are selected from law enforcement, alarm system provider, business manager, private security provider and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the notifying means is selected from a telephone call using a recorded message, an interactive voice response system, a computer network connection displaying the notification on a display screen, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of notifying authorities further comprises:

retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein contact numbers for the authorities are contained in the vendor record;

calling the contact numbers of the authorities;

providing a name and address of the vendor to the authorities, the name and address of the vendor being contained in the vendor record; and

alerting the authorities of a possible crime in progress at the address of the vendor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responding with an approval message in pre-determined extended time frame to provide the authorities time to respond to the notification.

11. A computer program product comprising:

receiving instructions for receiving an authorization request message from a vendor regarding an account of a customer, wherein the authorization request includes a confirmation code of the vendor and wherein the confirmation code entered by the vendor selectively includes either a duress code or a normal code; and

notifying instructions for notifying authorities of a suspected crime in progress if the confirmation code includes the duress code.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the duress code is selected from one or more alphanumeric characters added to the beginning of the confirmation code and one or more alphanumeric characters added to the end of the confirmation code.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving instructions for receiving the normal code entered by the vendor whenever the vendor does not suspect an account transaction to be criminal, wherein the normal code is any one or more alphanumeric characters other than the pre-determined alphanumeric characters of the duress code.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the vendor enters the duress code whenever the vendor suspects an account transaction to be criminal.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the vendor enters the duress code whenever the vendor suspects a transaction card used in the account transaction is stolen, the vendor suspects a debit card used in the account transaction is stolen, the vendor is under a threat to proceed with the transaction, a customer is under a threat to proceed with the transaction, or combinations thereof.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving instructions for receiving an account approval request from the vendor, wherein the sent duress code is contained in the confirmation code;

retrieving instructions for retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein the stored duress code is contained in the vendor record;

comparing instructions for comparing the sent duress code with the stored duress code; and

notifying instructions for notifying the authorities if the sent duress code matches the stored duress code.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein to authorities are selected from law enforcement, alarm system provider, business manager, private security provider, and combinations thereof.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the notifying instructions are selected from initiating instructions for initiating a telephone call using a recorded message, initiating instructions for initiating a telephone call using an interactive voice response system, initiating instructions for initiating a computer network connection displaying the notification on a display screen, and combinations thereof.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the notifying instructions for notifying authorities further comprises:

retrieving instructions for retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein contact numbers forte authorities are contained in the vendor record;

calling instructions for calling the contact numbers of the authorities;

providing instructions for providing a name and address of the vendor to the authorities, the name and address of the to vendor being contained in the vendor record; and

alerting instructions for alerting the authorities of a possible crime in progress at the address of the vendor.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

responding instructions for responding with an approval message in a pre-determined extended time frame, wherein the extended time frame provides authorities time to respond to the notification.

21. A system for alerting authorities during an account transaction comprising:

means for receiving an authorization request message from a vendor regarding an account of a customer, wherein the authorization request includes a confirmation code of the vendor and wherein the confirmation code entered by the vendor selectively includes either a duress code or a normal code; and

means for notifying authorities of a suspected crime in progress if the confirmation code includes the duress code.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving an account approval request from the vendor, wherein the sent duress code is contained in the confirmation code;

means for retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein the stored duress code is contained in the vendor record;

means for comparing the sent duress code with the stored duress code; and

means for notifying the authorities if the sent duress code matches the stored duress code.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the notifying means is selected from a telephone call using a recorded message, an interactive voice response system, a computer network connection displaying the notification on a display screen, and combinations thereof.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the step of notifying authorities further comprises:

means for retrieving a vendor record from a verification database, wherein contact numbers for the authorities are contained in the vendor record;

means for calling the contact numbers of the authorities;

means for providing a name and address of the vendor to the authorities, the name and address of the vendor being contained in the vendor record; and

means for alerting the authorities of a possible crime in progress at the address of the vendor.