Credit report lock system

• US 7,774,270 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transunion Intelligence LLC (TransUnion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Randy Maccloskey
• Inventors: MacCloskey, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisberger; Richard C
• Application Number:
  US11/062,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 705/38
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method and system to protect, manage and control access to credit reports by the consumer. The company provides a website for the consumer to lock his credit report from being viewed without authorization. The report may be accessed via a previously assigned ID number and password. For a merchant to obtain the credit report, the consumer must grant access. The system eliminates manual intervention with access codes to lock or grant access to the report. Response to requests to access a report is instantaneous with the correct access code. Before a consumer subscribes, his is challenged to prove his identity. The verification method is based on his using a credit card to pay for the service that has the same name as the person in which they are attempting to subscribe to the service as. Address verification is provided by the credit card company. A credit report is then pulled from each of the credit reporting agencies, and the data used to further challenge the consumer'"'"'s identity. Once correct identity has been established, the consumer enters an access code that is stored and instructions transmitted to the credit reporting agencies. Instructions are sent to the credit reporting agencies requiring them to lock the consumer'"'"'s credit report and assign an access code to the file for consumer access. The system gives the consumer total control in protecting credit information from theft or misuse.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a consumer'"'"'s credit report stored on a computer, the method comprising:

a) providing;

i) the consumer with;

a) a user name uniquely associated with that consumer, and

b) a user password associated with the user name;

ii) a first data entry means configured for entry of;

a) the user name and user password, and

b) a request to lock the user'"'"'s credit report;

iii) a first computer-implemented method for processing the request to lock the user'"'"'s credit report entered into the first data entry means, the method including transmitting instructions to the computer via data transmission means to lock the user'"'"'s credit report and thereby prevent access to the user'"'"'s credit report by an unauthorized requester;

b) the consumer entering the user name and user password and the request to lock the user'"'"'s credit report into the first data entry means;

c) executing the first computer-implemented method for processing the request to lock the user'"'"'s credit report entered into the first data entry means, including transmitting instructions to the computer via data transmission means to lock the user'"'"'s credit report and thereby prevent access to the user'"'"'s credit report by an unauthorized requester;

d) further providing;

i) a database containing user names associated with consumers and user passwords associated with the user names;

ii) a second data entry means for entry of a request for the user'"'"'s credit report;

iii) communication means through which the request for the user'"'"'s credit report is transmitted to the computer;

iv) a third data entry means for entry of;

a) the user name and user password, and

b) a requester;

v) means for associating the user name and the requester to identify the requestor as an authorized requestor upon entry of the user name and user password and the requestor into the third data entry means, said associating means being operative to associate the user name and the requester and to identify the requester as an authorized requester without the user having to disclose the user password to the requester;

vi) a second computer-implemented method for processing the request for the user'"'"'s credit report entered into the second data entry means;

the second computer-implemented method being implemented in said communication means between the second data entry means and said computer whereby the request for the user'"'"'s credit report must be processed by the second computer-implemented method;

the method including;

a) determining if the user name entered in the third data entry means is stored in the database of user names and user passwords; and

b) if the user name entered in the third data entry means is stored in the database of user names and user passwords, then initiating authorizing instructions to the computer via data transmission means to (a) temporarily unlock the consumers credit report and allow access to or delivery of the user'"'"'s credit report to an authorized requester and (b) then relock the user'"'"'s credit report to prevent access to the user'"'"'s credit report by an unauthorized requester;

e) the consumer further entering the user name and user password into the third data entry means;

f) entering;

i) the requester into the third data entry means, and

ii) the request for the consumer'"'"'s credit report into the second data entry means;

g) associating the user name and the requester to identify the requester as an authorized requester upon entry of the user name and user password and the requestor into the third data entry means, said associating means being operative to associate the user name and the requester and to identify the requester as an authorized requester without the user having to disclose the user password to the requester;

h) executing the second computer-implemented method for processing the request for the user'"'"'s credit report entered into the second data entry means, including;

i) determining if the user name entered in the third data entry means is stored in the database of user names and user passwords; and

ii) if the user name entered in the third data entry means is stored in the database of user names and user passwords, then initiating authorizing instructions to the computer via data transmission means to (a) temporarily unlock the consumers credit report and allow access to or delivery of the user'"'"'s credit report to the authorized requester and (b) then relock the user'"'"'s credit report to prevent access to the user'"'"'s credit report by an unauthorized requester.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the third data entry means includes means for masking the user password from the requester.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the database is capable of storing an authorized requester associated with a user name;

said associating step includes storing the requester in the database as an authorized requester associated with the user name, the request for the user'"'"'s credit report includes identification of the requester, and said execution of the second computer-implemented method further includes determining if the requester identified in the request for the user'"'"'s credit report is stored in the database as an authorized requestor associated with the user'"'"'s name.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said associating step is accomplished via a data entry web page generated within said second computer-implemented method.