Method and system for preventing identity theft in electronic communications

• US 8,321,946 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marqeta, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandt, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US10/729,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,280 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/3, 726/27, 726/26, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks

Abstract

Preventing identity theft in electronic communications sequences (180) involves generating a consumer identifier (126) for an individual (92) from a trusted service (82), including a primary key (128), a unique identifier (130), and a consumer-defined sequence (132). The consumer-defined sequence (132) allows the individual (92) to control use of the consumer identifier (126) by third parties, such as business entities (112). The method and system further allows business entities (114) to verify use of the consumer identifier (126) by first initiating a verification process (196) via a secure connection (110). Verification includes comparing (200) the consumer identifier (126) with a pre-determined set of database records (86, 88, and 90). If the requesting business (108) has registered with the trusted service (82), the invention presents a positive or negative confirmation (208) to the requesting business (108) according to the inquiry (204). Then, the invention permits confirming (210) the requested information relating to the individual (92) via the secure connection (98, 102, 106), conditioned upon the requested information having previously been authorized by the individual for presenting to the requesting business (108).

Claims

1. A method for preventing identity theft in electronic communications, comprising the steps of:

sequencing an encryption key transaction from a trusted service for generating for an individual a consumer identifier by performing the steps of;

issuing from said trusted service a primary key to the individual;

issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service; and

permitting the individual to generate and maintain a consumer-defined sequence through said trusted service;

allowing the individual to control access to commercially related use of said consumer identifier by third parties;

generating a report for presentation to the individual when at least one of the third parties requests access to information related to the consumer identifier; and

allowing the individual to control which of the third parties that requested access can access information related to the individual.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of verifying commercially related use of said consumer identifier, comprising the steps of:

initiating a verification process from a requesting business entity via a secure connection;

comparing said consumer identifier with a pre-determined set of database records using said consumer-defined sequence in response to initiating said verification process;

presenting a positive or negative confirmation to said requesting business, said business having registered with said trusted service; and

confirming requested information relating to the individual via said secure connection, said requested information having been pre-authorized for presenting to said requesting business entity by the individual.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of reporting to the individual the number of times at least one requesting business entity has initiated a verification process.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of confirming requested information relating to the individual including the individual'"'"'s name, address, and photograph.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of confirming requested information relating to the individual including the individual'"'"'s fingerprints.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of storing said consumer identifier on a remote business database system and permitting the individual to modify said consumer identifier through a secure connection to a remote location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service according to a pre-determined set of business rules associated with a remote business database system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the individual to control commercial transactions using said consumer identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service, said unique identifier conveying encrypted information relating to the individual'"'"'s age and locale.

10. A system for preventing identity theft in electronic communications, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions, wherein one or more of the instructions comprise;

instructions for sequencing an encryption key transaction from a trusted service for generating for an individual a consumer identifier, said sequencing instructions further comprising;

instructions for issuing from said trusted service a primary key to the individual;

instructions for issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service; and

instructions for permitting the individual to generate and maintain a consumer-defined sequence through said trusted service; and

instructions for allowing the individual to control access to commercially related use of said consumer identifier by third parties;

instructions for generating a report for presentation to the individual when at least one of the third parties requests access to information related to the consumer identifier; and

instructions for allowing the individual to control which of the third parties that requested access can access information related to the individual.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for verifying commercially related use of said consumer identifier, comprising:

instructions for initiating a verification process from a requesting business entity via a secure connection;

instructions for comparing said consumer identifier with a pre-determined set of database records using said consumer-defined sequence in response to initiating said verification process;

instructions for presenting a positive or negative confirmation to said requesting business, said business having registered with said trusted service; and

instructions for confirming requested information relating to the individual via said secure connection, said requested information having been pre-authorized for presenting to said requesting business entity by the individual.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for reporting to the individual the number of times at least one requesting business entity has initiated a verification process.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for confirming requested information relating to the individual including the individual'"'"'s name, address, and photograph.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for confirming requested information relating to the individual including the individual'"'"'s fingerprints.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for storing said consumer identifier on a remote business database system and permitting the individual to modify said consumer identifier through a secure connection to a remote location.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service according to a pre-determined set of business rules associated with a remote business database system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for allowing the individual to control commercial transactions using said consumer identifier.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more of the instructions include instructions for issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service, said unique identifier conveying encrypted information relating to the individual'"'"'s age and locale.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a system for preventing identity theft in electronic communications, comprising:

instructions stored on said storage medium for sequencing an encryption key transaction from a trusted service for generating for an individual a consumer identifier, said sequencing instructions further comprising;

instructions stored on said storage medium for issuing from said trusted service a primary key to the individual;

instructions stored on said storage medium for issuing to the individual a unique identifier from said trusted service;

instructions stored on said storage medium for permitting the individual to generate and maintain a consumer-defined sequence through said trusted service; and

instructions stored on said storage medium for allowing the individual to control access to commercially related use of said consumer identifier by third parties;

instructions for generating a report for presentation to the individual when at least one of the third parties requests access to information related to the consumer identifier; and

instructions for allowing the individual to control which of the third parties that requested access can access information related to the individual.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising, as a part of said identity theft prevention system, instructions stored on said storage medium for verifying commercially related use of said consumer identifier, said verifying instructions comprising:

instructions stored on said storage medium for initiating a verification process from a requesting business entity via a secure connection;

instructions stored on said storage medium for comparing said consumer identifier with a pre-determined set of database records using said consumer-defined sequence in response to initiating said verification process;

instructions stored on said storage medium for presenting a positive or negative confirmation to said requesting business, said business having registered with said trusted service; and

instructions stored on said storage medium for confirming requested information relating to the individual via said secure connection, said requested information having been pre-authorized for presenting to said requesting business entity by the individual.