Prepaid transaction card activation system and method

• US 8,275,712 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Webb, Elizabeth Gwen, Lewis, Lance, Vollmer, Nicole Milne
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Elizabeth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holly, John H.
• Application Number:
  US13/180,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/41, 705/39, 705/44, 705/67, 705/18, 705/38, 705/65, 235/380, 235/383, 235/381, 235/379, 379/114
• US Class Current: 705/41
• 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 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• 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

Abstract

Reloadable or non-reloadable prepaid transaction card activation systems are disclosed. More specifically, the system provides a platform for activation of prepaid or stored value transaction cards and capture of customer demographic information, and verification of that information, after the customer has obtained or has been issued a prepaid transaction card. The data capture is performed at activation rather than at point of sale.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium storing computer code that, when executed by a compute-based system for activating a prepaid transaction account, causes the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the computer-based system, if customer information is associated with the prepaid transaction account during a purchase;

in response to no customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

capturing, by the computer-based system, customer information to form captured customer information,

comparing, by the computer-based system, the captured customer information with corresponding information contained in a first database, and

validating, by the computer-based system, the captured customer information by matching the corresponding information contained in the first database, and by comparing the captured customer information with customer demographic information obtained from a second database;

in response to the customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

validating, by the computer-based system, the customer information by comparing the customer information with customer demographic information obtained during the purchase from the second database;

comparing, by the computer-based system, the customer information with a stored list of flagged information;

terminating, by the computer-based system, an activation process, if the customer information is on the stored list of flagged information;

determining, by the computer-based system, that the prepaid transaction account is to be used by an account recipient; and

activating, by the computer-based system, the prepaid transaction account after the validating, if the customer information is not on the stored list of flagged information.

2. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the capturing customer information occurs through an interactive response system.

3. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the capturing customer information is manually processed by a customer service representative.

4. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising verifying an account number associated with the prepaid transaction account.

5. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising verifying a security code associated with the prepaid transaction account.

6. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the capturing customer information includes capturing one or more items of information selected from a social security number, a home telephone number, a postal zip code, and a date of birth.

7. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving identity information identifying the prepaid transaction account;

comparing the identity information identifying the prepaid transaction account with corresponding information contained in a first database; and

determining that the prepaid transaction account is not activated based on the comparing.

8. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing the customer information by capturing one or more items of information associated with the account purchaser and the account recipient of the prepaid transaction account.

9. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising accessing an internal database containing a customer hot list of flagged information.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the activating the prepaid transaction account further comprises a step of creating a personal identification number (PIN).

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the validating the captured customer information is based on a predetermined minimum number of data points within the captured customer information.

12. A method comprising:

determining, by a computer-based system for activating a prepaid transaction account, if customer information is associated with the prepaid transaction account during a purchase;

in response to no customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

capturing, by the computer-based system, customer information to form captured customer information,

comparing, by the computer-based system, the captured customer information with corresponding information contained in a first database, and

validating, by the computer-based system, the captured customer information by matching the corresponding information contained in the first database, and by comparing the captured customer information with customer demographic information obtained from a second database;

in response to the customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

validating, by the computer-based system, the customer information by comparing the customer information with customer demographic information obtained during the purchase from the second database;

comparing, by the computer-based system, the customer information with a stored list of flagged information;

terminating, by the computer-based system, an activation process, if the customer information is on the stored list of flagged information;

determining, by the computer-based system, that the prepaid transaction account is to be used by an account recipient; and

activating, by the computer-based system, the prepaid transaction account after the validating, if the customer information is not on the stored list of flagged information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the capturing customer information occurs through an interactive response system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the capturing customer information is manually processed by a customer service representative.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising verifying an account number associated with the prepaid transaction account.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising verifying a security code associated with the prepaid transaction account.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the capturing customer information includes capturing one or more items of information selected from a social security number, a home telephone number, a postal zip code, and a date of birth.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving identity information identifying the prepaid transaction account;

comparing the identity information identifying the prepaid transaction account with corresponding information contained in a first database; and

determining that the prepaid transaction account is not activated based on the comparing.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising capturing the customer information by capturing one or more items of information associated with the account purchaser and the account recipient of the prepaid transaction account.

20. A prepaid transaction account activation system comprising:

a prepaid transaction account having identity information;

a processor for administering an incentive program; and

a non-transitory memory storing computer code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining, by the processor, if customer information is associated with the prepaid transaction account during a purchase;

in response to no customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

capturing, by the processor, customer information to form captured customer information,

comparing, by the processor, the captured customer information with corresponding information contained in a first database, and

validating, by the processor, the captured customer information by matching the corresponding information contained in the first database, and by comparing the captured customer information with customer demographic information obtained from a second database;

in response to the customer information being associated with the prepaid transaction account during the purchase;

validating, by the processor, the customer information by comparing the customer information with customer demographic information obtained during the purchase from the second database;

comparing, by the processor, the customer information with a stored list of flagged information;

terminating, by the processor, an activation process, if the customer information is on the stored list of flagged information;

determining, by the processor, that the prepaid transaction account is to be used by an account recipient; and

activating, by the processor, the prepaid transaction account after the validating, if the customer information is not on the stored list of nagged information.