System and method for preventing fraud by generating new prepaid gift accounts

• US 8,528,814 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GiftCodes.com, LLC
• Original Assignee: GiftCodes.com, LLC
• Inventors: Wolfe, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US13/442,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/381, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/354 Card activation or deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/127 in which both online and offline card verification can take place

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for preventing fraud when exchanging prepaid gift accounts. The system identifies a first prepaid gift account associated with a first prepaid gift. The system then presents an owner of the first prepaid gift with an offer to purchase the first prepaid gift account for an offer amount. Next, the system receives from the owner an acceptance of the offer. Based on the acceptance, the system provides payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account, generates a second prepaid gift account for a second prepaid gift, transfers at least a portion of funds from the first prepaid gift account to the second prepaid gift account, deactivates the first prepaid gift account, and offers the second prepaid gift account for resale as a new prepaid gift to a person other than the owner.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first prepaid gift account associated with a first prepaid gift;

presenting an owner of the first prepaid gift with an offer to purchase the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift for an offer amount;

receiving from the owner an acceptance of the offer; and

based on the acceptance;

providing payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift;

generating a second prepaid gift account for a second prepaid gift;

transferring at least a portion of funds from the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift to the second prepaid gift account;

deactivating the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift; and

offering the second prepaid gift account for resale as a new prepaid gift to a person other than the owner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop gift code and open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via electronic means and independent of a physical gift instrument.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered on a paper medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a bar code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via one of an application on a mobile telecommunications device, a mobile computing device, a personal computer, a gaming system, a satellite, and a cable television system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered encoded on a physical card.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account is at least one of cash, a check, a payment of a bill or debt of the owner, loading an amount to an existing credit, loading an amount to a new credit, a debit card, a prepaid gift, a deposit into to an existing bank account, and a deposit into to a new bank account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a text message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via an electronic mail message.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

identifying a first prepaid gift account associated with a first prepaid gift;

presenting an owner of the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift with an offer to purchase the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift for an offer amount;

receiving from the owner an acceptance of the offer; and

based on the acceptance;

providing payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift;

generating a second prepaid gift account associated with a second prepaid gift;

transferring at least a portion of funds from the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift to the second prepaid gift account;

deactivating the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift; and

offering the second prepaid gift account for resale as a new prepaid gift to a person other than the owner.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop gift code and open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via electronic means and independent of a physical gift instrument.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered on a paper medium.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a bar code.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via one of an application on a mobile telecommunications device, a mobile computing device, a personal computer, a gaming system, a satellite, and a cable television system.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered encoded on a physical card.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account is at least one of cash, a check, a payment of a bill or debt of the owner, loading an amount to an existing credit, loading an amount to a new credit, a debit card, a prepaid gift, a deposit into to an existing bank account, and a deposit into to a new bank account.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a text message.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via an electronic mail message.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying a first prepaid gift account associated with a first prepaid gift;

presenting an owner of the first prepaid gift with an offer to purchase the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift for an offer amount;

receiving from the owner an acceptance of the offer; and

based on the acceptance;

providing payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift;

generating a second prepaid gift account for a second prepaid gift;

transferring at least a portion of funds from the first prepaid gift account associated with first prepaid gift to the second prepaid gift account;

deactivating the first prepaid gift account associated with the first prepaid gift; and

offering the second prepaid gift account for resale as a new prepaid gift to a person other than the owner.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop gift code and an open loop gift code, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via electronic means and independent of a physical gift instrument.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered on a paper medium.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a bar code.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via one of an application on a mobile telecommunications device, a mobile computing device, a personal computer, a gaming system, a satellite, and a cable television system.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered encoded on a physical card.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein payment to the owner for the first prepaid gift account is at least one of cash, a check, a payment of a bill or debt of the owner, loading an amount to an existing credit, loading an amount to a new credit, a debit card, a prepaid gift, a deposit into to an existing bank account, and a deposit into to a new bank account.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via a text message.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second prepaid gift account is one of a closed loop and an open loop, and wherein information associated with the second prepaid gift account is delivered via an electronic mail message.