Electronic commerce system and method for detecting fraud

• US 7,165,051 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digital River Incorporated (Danube Private Holdings II, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Digital River Incorporated (Danube Private Holdings II, LLC)
• Inventors: Ronning, Joel A., Wical, Kelly J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US11/067,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/64, 705/67, 705/75, 713176-179, 726 1- 36
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction is disclosed. The server includes a software module configured to receive user-entered information via the network including an electronic purchase order for a product within the electronic commerce system. In addition, the server includes a fraud detection mechanism active during electronic commerce transactions. The fraud detection mechanism determines a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based upon (i) information associated with the user-entered information and (ii) factors relating to a users real-time interaction with the server during a transaction to process the electronic purchase order. A method performed by an electronic commerce system for determining a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based is also provided.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction, the server comprising:

a software module configured to receive user-entered information via the network including an electronic purchase order for a product within the electronic commerce system; and

a fraud detection mechanism active during electronic commerce transactions configured to determine a fraud ranking that indicates a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based upon a user'"'"'s real-time interaction with the server during a transaction to process the electronic purchase order selected from a group consisting of;

(i) an attempt to change information in the electronic purchase order detected by a comparison of a snapshot of information about the electronic purchase order taken after the purchase order has been submitted for processing by the system, and (ii) a user'"'"'s path of progression through web pages associated with submitting the electronic purchase order.

2. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to also determine the fraud ranking based upon a number of times user-entered information was included in an electronic purchase order that was declined.

3. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to also determine the fraud ranking based upon a number of times user-entered information was included in an electronic purchase order that failed to obtain credit card authorization.

4. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to also determine the fraud ranking based upon comparing a number of disparate pieces of information related to user-entered information with particular criteria.

5. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to compare the fraud ranking against a particular fraud scale.

6. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to (i) save snapshots of information in the electronic purchase order at first and second times after the electronic purchase order has been submitted and (ii) compare the snapshot of information in the electronic purchase order saved at the first time with the snapshot of information in the electronic purchase order saved at the second time.

7. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to also determine the fraud ranking based upon an amount of each of a number of electronic purchase orders requested within a particular time frame associated with a particular user.

8. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 wherein the fraud detection mechanism includes a software module configured to also determine the fraud ranking based upon a number of electronic purchase orders requested within a particular time frame associated with a particular user.

9. The electronic commerce system of claim 1 further comprising a fraud prevention mechanism that declines an electronic purchase order based on the fraud ranking determined by the fraud detection mechanism.

10. A method performed by an electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction, the method comprising steps of:

receiving user-entered information via the network including an electronic purchase order for a product within the electronic commerce system; and

determining a fraud ranking that indicates a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based upon a user'"'"'s real-time interaction with the electronic commerce system during a transaction to process the electronic purchase order selected from a group consisting of;

(i) an attempt to change information in the electronic purchase order detected by a comparison of a snapshot of information about the electronic purchase order taken after the purchase order has been submitted for processing by the system, and (ii) a user'"'"'s path of progression through web pages associated with submitting the electronic purchase order.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises determining the fraud ranking based upon a number of times the user-entered information was included in an electronic purchase order that was declined.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises determining the fraud ranking based upon a number of times the user-entered information was included in an electronic purchase order that failed to obtain credit card authorization.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises determining the fraud ranking based upon comparing a number of disparate pieces of information related to the user-entered information with particular criteria.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of comparing the fraud ranking against a particular fraud scale.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising steps of:

saving snapshots of information in the electronic purchase order at first and second times after the electronic purchase order has been submitted; and

comparing the snapshot of information in the electronic purchase order saved at the first time with the snapshot of information in the electronic purchase order saved at the second time.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises determining the fraud ranking based upon an amount of each of a number of electronic purchase orders requested within a particular time frame associated with a particular user.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises determining the fraud ranking based upon a number of electronic purchase orders requested within a particular time frame associated with a particular user.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of preventing fraud by declining an electronic purchase order based on the fraud ranking determined by the determining step.

19. An article of manufacture including instructions stored on a medium for controlling an electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction, the medium comprising software modules configured to control the electronic commerce system to perform the steps of claim 10.

20. An article of manufacture including instructions stored on a medium for controlling an electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction, the medium comprising:

a software module configured to receive user-entered information via the network including an electronic purchase order for a product within the electronic commerce system; and

a fraud detection software module configured to be active during electronic commerce transactions and further configured to determine a fraud ranking that indicates a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based upon a user'"'"'s real-time interaction with the electronic commerce system during a transaction to process the electronic purchase order selected from a group consisting of;

(i) an attempt to change information in the electronic purchase order detected by a comparison of a snapshot of information about the electronic purchase order taken after the purchase order has been submitted for processing by the system, and (ii) a user'"'"'s path of progression through web pages associated with submitting the electronic purchase order.