Authentication for online money transfers

• US 8,082,210 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Hansen, Scott, Fry-Sanchez, Kirsten S., Hosmer, Kim C., Cortez, Ed N., Joyner, Debra, Wieth, Jennifer, Baumgart, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Merchant, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ziegle, Stephanie M
• Application Number:
  US10/832,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,794 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for processing a transaction where the transaction is initiated by a payor online, but paid to a payee in-person, is disclosed. In one step, payor information is accepted at a location that located across a wide area network from the payor. Transaction information and payment source information is also accepted at the location. The transaction information includes an amount and a payee identifier and the payment source information includes account details associated with an account of the payor at a money handler. A risk related to a likelihood that the transaction will complete successfully is evaluated. Validating that the payment source information is associated with the payor is manually performed if the risk is excessive. The risk can generally be reduced by the manual validation. The money handler is billed for at least the amount. It is determined if the money handler settles the amount. Historical information on the transaction is stored.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for processing a transaction where the transaction is initiated by a payor online but paid to a payee in-person, said computer readable instructions comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the processor to perform the method of:

accepting, by a computer system, payor information at a location, wherein the payor is located across a wide area network from the location;

accepting, by the computer system, transaction information at the location, wherein the transaction information includes an amount and a payee identifier;

accepting, by the computer system, payment source information at the location, wherein the payment source information includes account details associated with an account of the payor at a money handler;

evaluating, by the computer system, a risk score related to a likelihood that the transaction will complete successfully;

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor at a retail location linked with a payment enabler, if the risk score is below a first risk score threshold, wherein the payor is required to physically attend the retail location;

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor via telephonic interaction with the payment enabler if the risk score is between the first risk score threshold and a second risk score threshold, wherein;

the payor is presented, via the wide area network, with a telephone number of the payment enabler;

permitting, by the computer system, online funding of the transaction if the risk score is above the second risk score threshold;

billing, by the computer system, the money handler for at least the amount;

determining, by the computer system, if the money handler settles the amount; and

storing, by the computer system, historical information on the transaction.

2. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructions for a step of checking the transaction information against a usage limit.

3. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructions for a step of verifying at least some of the payment source information.

4. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the three accepting steps are performed with a web site associated with the location.

5. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the historical information comprises at least two of the risk, a settlement result, the payor information, the transaction information, and the source information.

6. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the evaluating step further comprises steps of:

evaluating a first risk that the amount will be successfully settled; and

evaluating a second risk that the payment source information is not associated with the payor.

7. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the evaluating step comprises a step of evaluating the risk of the amount being successfully settled from historical information gathered from past transactions.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the historical information comprises a history score and wherein the transaction is declined in response to the history score is less than a rejection threshold.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the historical information comprises an indication of whether a past manual validation of the payment source information was performed and manually validating is not performed if the history score exceeds a threshold amount and a past manual validation is indicated.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the historical information comprises a history score and information gathered from past transactions with other affiliated transfer services and wherein manually validating is not performed if the history score exceeds a threshold amount and the information gathered from past transactions with other affiliated transfer services is favorable.

11. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the first-listed checking step comprises one or more of the following steps:

checking if the payor has exceeded a predetermined number of transactions during a first predetermined time period;

checking if the amount exceeds a threshold amount; and

checking if the payor has exceeded an aggregate amount during a second predetermined time period, wherein the first and second predetermined time periods may be the same or different.

12. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the billing step comprises billing the money handler for a sum of the amount and a transaction fee.

13. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructions for a step of reporting the historical information away from the location.

14. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the payee identifier is chosen from the group consisting off a name, an e-mail address, a test phrase, an account number, and an identification number.

15. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment source information comprises two or more of the following:

an account number, a bank routing number, an account holder name, a card issuer phone number, an account billing address, and a CVV2 code.

16. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 1, wherein the money handler is chosen from a group consisting of:

a debit card organization, a credit card organization, a bank, and a retail location.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for processing a transaction where the transaction is initiated by a payor online but paid to a payee in-person, said computer readable instructions comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the processor to perform the method of:

accepting, by a computer system, payor information at a location, wherein the payor is located across a wide area network from the location;

accepting, by the computer system, transaction information at the location, wherein the transaction information includes an amount and a payee identifier;

accepting, by the computer system, payment source information at the location, wherein the payment source information includes account details associated with an account of the payor at a money handler;

verifying, by the computer system, at least some of the payment source information;

evaluating, by the computer system, a risk score related to a likelihood that the transaction will complete successfully,

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor at a retail location linked with a payment enabler, if the risk score is below a first risk score threshold, wherein, wherein the payor is required to physically attend the retail location;

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor via telephonic interaction with the payment enabler if the risk score is between the first risk score threshold and a second risk score threshold,

wherein;

the payor is presented, via the wide area network, with a telephone number of the payment enabler;

permitting, by the computer system, remote funding of the transaction if the risk score is above the second risk score threshold; and

billing, by the computer system, the money handler for at least the amount.

18. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated remotely, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions for a step of determining if the money handler settles the amount.

19. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated remotely, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17, wherein the evaluating step comprises steps of:

evaluating the risk based upon first information; and

evaluating the risk based upon second information at least partially different from the first information.

20. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated remotely, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions for a step of storing historical information on the transaction.

21. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated remotely, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions for a step of checking the transaction information against a usage limit.

22. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 21, wherein the first-listed checking step comprises one or more of the following steps:

checking if the payor has exceeded a predetermined number of transactions during a first predetermined time period;

checking if the amount exceeds a threshold amount; and

checking if the payor has exceeded an aggregate amount during a second predetermined time period, wherein the first and second predetermined time periods may be the same or different.

23. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated by the payor online, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17 wherein the evaluating step further comprises steps of:

evaluating a first risk that the amount will be successfully settled; and

evaluating a second risk that the payment source information is not associated with the payor.

24. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction where the transaction is initiated remotely, but paid to the payee in-person as recited in claim 17, wherein the first-listed evaluating step comprises a step of evaluating the risk of the amount being successfully settled from historical information gathered from past transactions.

25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for processing a transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from a payor to a payee, said computer readable instructions comprising instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the processor to perform the method of:

accepting, by a computer system, payor information from the payor, wherein the payor is located across a wide area network;

accepting, by the computer system, transaction information, wherein the transaction information includes an amount and a payee identifier; and

accepting, by the computer system, payment source information, wherein the payment source information includes account details associated with an account of the payor at a money handler;

verifying, by the computer system, at least some of the payment source information;

evaluating, by tile computer system, a risk score related to a likelihood that the transaction will complete successfully;

checking, by the computer system, a transaction velocity linked with the payor against a first velocity threshold and a second velocity threshold, wherein the first velocity threshold is less than the second velocity threshold;

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor at a retail location linked with a payment enabler, if;

the risk score is below a first risk score threshold;

the transaction velocity is above the second velocity threshold;

or both, wherein;

the payor is required to physically attend the retail location;

referring, by the computer system, funding to be completed by the payor via telephonic interaction with the payment enabler if;

the risk score is between the first risk score threshold and a second risk score threshold;

the transaction velocity is between the first velocity threshold and the second velocity threshold;

or

both, wherein;

the payor is presented, via the wide area network, with a telephone number to contact the representative;

permitting, by the computer system, online funding of the transaction if the risk score is above the second risk score threshold and the transaction velocity is below the first velocity threshold;

billing, by the computer system, the money handler for at least the amount; and

transferring, by the computer system, the money to the payee.

26. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from the payor to the payee as recited in claim 25, further comprising instructions for a step of determining if the money handler settles the amount.

27. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from the payor to the payee as recited in claim 25, further comprising instructions for a step of storing historical information on the transaction.

28. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from the payor to the payee as recited in claim 25, wherein the first-listed evaluating step further comprises steps of:

evaluating a first risk that the amount will be successfully settled based upon the first information; and

evaluating a second risk that the payment source information is not associated with the payor based upon the second information.

29. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from the payor to the payee as recited in claim 28, wherein the first-listed evaluating step comprises a step of evaluating the risk of the amount being successfully settled from historical information gathered from past transactions.

30. The computer readable medium for processing the transaction that transfers money or its equivalents from the payor to the payee as recited in claim 25, wherein the checking step comprises one or more of the following steps:

checking if the payor has exceeded a predetermined number of transactions during a first predetermined time period;

checking if the amount exceeds a threshold amount; and

checking if the payor has exceeded an aggregate amount during a second predetermined time period, wherein the first and second predetermined time periods may be the same or different.