Bank card fraud protection system

• US 7,980,464 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Clark, Rhonna J., Lin, Chuan Bin, Byrd, Timothy B., Zhou, Mian, Sarris, Helen, Treadwell, William, Shnowske, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis; Suezu
• Application Number:
  US12/343,036
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 705/35, 705/39, 705 42- 44, 340/568.7, 340/539.13, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• 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 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for protecting against bank card fraud and related crimes by providing a distress/fraud trigger at bank card machines, such as automated teller machines and point-of-sale terminals. The trigger initiates certain heightened-security processes designed to stop the crime, control damage, and help apprehend the criminal. For example, in one embodiment, the trigger involves the cardholder inputting a “panic” personal identification code into the bank card machine. The panic personal identification code indicates to a party involved in the bank card transaction that a fraudulent transaction may be taking place. The heightened-security processes may include, for example, displaying that the bank card machine is out-of-order, dispensing money with a GPS tracking device, requesting additional identification steps, instituting delay tactics, notifying on-site personnel, or forwarding audio or video information from the bank card machine to a bank'"'"'s command center in real time or near real time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving account identification information;

receiving a personal identification code from a user of a bank card machine;

using the account identification information to identify a bank account;

determining whether the received personal identification code matches a first personal identification code associated with the bank account;

performing a verification procedure to determine whether the user intended to enter a personal identification code that matches the first personal identification code, if it is determined that the received personal identification code matches the first personal identification code, wherein performing the verification includes,

displaying a reduced balance that is significantly lower than the actual balance of the bank account, and

determining that the user intended to enter the personal identification code that matches the first personal identification code if the user continues with a transaction after the reduced balance is displayed; and

initiating one or more fraud protection procedures, if it is determined that the received personal identification code matches the first personal identification code and if it is determined through the verification procedure that the user intended to enter a personal identification code that matches the first personal identification code.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing the verification procedure further comprises asking the user, after the displaying of the reduced balance, if the user would like to continue with the transaction.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the received personal identification code matches a second personal identification code; and

allowing standard user access to the bank account if the personal identification code matches the second personal identification code and does not match the first personal identification code.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise displaying a reduced balance.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise communicating an account balance that is different than the bank account'"'"'s actual balance.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise distributing marked bills.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise distributing a GPS tracking device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise signaling to a cashier or teller to require additional identification.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise contacting a security person or agency.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise instituting a reduced transaction limit.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise activating a security camera, activating a zoom feature of a security camera, reorienting a security camera, or recording higher resolution images from a security camera.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise feeding images from a security camera to a device configured to display the images in real time or near real time.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise activating a microphone.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise displaying that a bank card machine is out of order.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a transaction request, wherein the one or more fraud protection procedures comprise flagging the transaction as being potentially fraudulent.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving account identification information and the personal identification code comprises:

receiving account identification information and the personal identification code from a remote bank card machine.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a financial institution that maintains the bank account.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a bank card machine.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving account identification information comprises reading a machine-readable code provided by a bank card, and wherein receiving a personal identification code comprises receiving input from a bank card machine'"'"'s user input device.

20. A system comprising:

a communication interface communicably coupled to a bank card machine and configured to receive bank card information and a personal identification code from the bank card machine;

a memory device comprising information about a plurality of bank accounts, wherein the information for one or more of the bank accounts includes account identification information and a first personal identification code; and

a computing processor operatively coupled to the communication interface and the memory device, wherein the processor is configured to identify a bank account from the plurality of bank of accounts based on the received bank card information and determine whether the received personal identification code matches the first personal identification code associated with the bank account, wherein the processor is further configured, if it is determined that the received personal identification code matches the first personal identification code, to display a reduced balance that is significantly lower than the actual balance of the bank account and determine that a user intended to enter the personal identification code that matches the first personal identification code if the user continues with a transaction after the reduced balance is displayed, and wherein the processor is configured to initiate one or more fraud protection procedures, if it is determined that the received personal identification code matches the first personal identification code and if it is determined through the verification procedure that the user intended to enter a personal identification code that matches the first personal identification code.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to query the user, after the displaying of the reduced balance, if the user would like to continue with the transaction.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the fraud protection procedure that includes displaying a reduced balance.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the fraud protection procedure that includes communicating an account balance that is different than the bank account'"'"'s actual balance.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the fraud protection procedure that includes instituting a reduced transaction limit.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the fraud protection procedure that includes displaying that a bank card machine is out of order.