Anti-fraud apparatus and method for credit cards

• US 7,347,363 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liang-Te Hsieh, Wen-Hung Chien
• Original Assignee: Liang-Te Hsieh, Wen-Hung Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Wen-hung, Chiou, Nan-ting, Hsieh, Liang-te
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa
• Application Number:
  US11/526,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20070272737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 705/17
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0813 Specific details related to card security
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

An anti-fraud apparatus and a method for recognizing authentic credit cards compares the first six numerals of a credit card number located on a front face thereof (the first six numerals are issued in conformity with coding rules and represent an issuing bank and a grade of the credit card) and the first six small numerals located in a horizontal direction at an upper left portion of a logo on the credit card. The anti-fraud apparatus includes a casing having a pocket for insertion of the credit card and a viewing face corresponding to the pocket. At least a viewing window is disposed on the viewing face and faces an upper left portion of the logo for clearly displaying numerals on the upper left portion. Therefore, cashing operators can accurately and rapidly verify authenticity of the credit card.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing authentic credit cards, particularly to credit cards having an identifying logo, by comparing first six numerals of card numbers located on a front face of a credit card having the identifying logo and first six small numerals located in a horizontal direction at an upper left portion of the identifying logo on the front face;

wherein the first four numerals of card numbers on the front face of the credit card are the same as the first four small numerals located in a horizontal direction at the upper left portion of the identifying logo, and the fifth and sixth numerals of the six small numerals at the upper left portion of the identifying logo are replaced by alphabet characters corresponding to a grade of the credit card in conformity to surfaces of the credit card.

2. The method for recognizing authentic credit cards according to claim 1, wherein the alphabet characters represent a code of an issuing bank and a grade of the credit card, the grade selectively indicating a classification including at least one of a regular card, a gold card, and a platinum card;

whereby the alphabet characters enable cashing operators to recognize the surfaces of the credit card.

3. The method for recognizing authentic credit cards according to claim 2, wherein the alphabet characters include at least one of:

CC (Credit Card), CG (Credit Gold), CB (Credit Business), AC (Account Credit), AG (Account Gold), DC (Debit Classic), and DG (Debit Gold).

4. A method for recognizing authentic credit cards, particularly to credit cards having an identifying logo, by comprising first six numerals of card numbers located on a front face of a credit card having the identifying logo and first six small numerals located in a horizontal direction at an upper left portion of the identifying logo on the front face;

wherein the first six numerals of card numbers on the front face are the same as the six small numerals disposed in a direction at the upper left portion of the identifying logo.

5. An anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards and particularly to recognize authentic credit cards having an identifying logo, comprising:

a casing having at least one pocket thereon for allowing insertion of a credit card having an identifying logo; and

at least one viewing window disposed on a viewing face of the casing and facing an upper left portion of the identifying logo on a front face of the credit card, the viewing window equipped with a viewing means, wherein the viewing means is a magnifier for magnifying numerals located at the upper left portion of the identifying logo on the front face of the credit card.

6. An anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards and particularly to recognize authentic credit cards having an identifying logo, comprising:

a casing having at least one pocket thereon for allowing insertion of the credit card having an identifying logo;

two viewing windows disposed on a viewing face thereof, wherein a first viewing window faces card numbers disposed on a front face of the credit card, and a second viewing window faces an upper left portion of a the identifying logo on a front face of the credit card, the second viewing window equipped with a viewing means; and

,

an actuation device disposed on the casing for connecting and triggering a credit card machine.

7. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 6, wherein the actuation device includes actuating circuits and a trigger, the actuating circuits connecting to the credit card machine, and the trigger disposed in the pocket of the casing for triggering the actuating circuits.

8. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 7, wherein the actuating circuits are in a state of normally open, and the trigger is a micro switch.

9. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 7, wherein the actuation device further comprises a lighting member connecting with the actuation circuits, both the actuation circuits and the lighting member simultaneously triggered by the trigger.

10. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 9, wherein the lighting member is a light emitting diode (LED).

11. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 6, wherein the viewing means is a magnifier for magnifying numerals located at the upper left portion of the identifying logo on the front face of the credit card.

12. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 6, wherein the viewing means is a convex lens.

13. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 6, wherein the pocket is disposed slantwise on the casing, and the viewing face of the casing is inclined to the slant pocket for facilitating viewing the first and the second viewing windows.

14. The Anti-fraud apparatus for credit cards according to claim 6, wherein a label is attached to the casing, on which definition of a fifth and sixth alphabets characters located at the upper left portion of the identifying logo on the front face of the credit card are indicated, the fifth and sixth alphabets characters representing an issuing bank and a grade of the credit card, the grade generally classified as at least one of a regular card, a golden card, and a platinum card.