Systems and/or methods for fraud detection in award point programs
First Claim
1. A method of detecting potentially fraudulent transactions, the method comprising:
- providing an electronic registration (ER) system having an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and each said item having reward points associated therewith, the reward points being redeemable in connection with a rewards program administered at least in part by a rewards program system;
querying the ER database to locate a matching entry when an item is presented for return or refund at a location, using a processor of the ER system, anddetermining whether the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and whether reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to a member and/or redeemed by the member when the item is presented for return or refund at the location, using the processor of the ER system;
sending a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location when the item presented for return or refund has not been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have not been credited to the member;
sending a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location, and authorizing the debiting of a corresponding number of reward points from the member when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member; and
sending a signal to the location denying the return or refund when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system, the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member, and the reward points have been redeemed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to the field of electronic registration (ER) of purchased items and, more particularly, to improved electronic registration techniques that provide validation and/or verification services for an award points program and/or products having associated award points. Certain exemplary embodiments provide electronic award points management techniques that authenticate item purchases, determine eligibility for inclusion in a manufacturer'"'"'s or a retailer'"'"'s award program, help identify and detect potential fraudulent transactions involving award points and/or associated products, etc. Certain exemplary embodiments may allow point information to be printed directly on a case where it is continually visible, which may, in turn, help increase enrollment by increasing visibility of the program, reducing the likelihood of insert cards being lost, etc., while at the same time reducing costs for program implementation on the part of manufacturers, retailers, etc.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of detecting potentially fraudulent transactions, the method comprising:
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providing an electronic registration (ER) system having an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and each said item having reward points associated therewith, the reward points being redeemable in connection with a rewards program administered at least in part by a rewards program system; querying the ER database to locate a matching entry when an item is presented for return or refund at a location, using a processor of the ER system, and determining whether the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and whether reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to a member and/or redeemed by the member when the item is presented for return or refund at the location, using the processor of the ER system; sending a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location when the item presented for return or refund has not been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have not been credited to the member; sending a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location, and authorizing the debiting of a corresponding number of reward points from the member when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member; and sending a signal to the location denying the return or refund when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system, the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member, and the reward points have been redeemed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of detecting potentially fraudulent transactions, the method comprising:
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providing an electronic registration (ER) system having an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including item information including at least a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and each said item having reward points associated therewith, the reward points being redeemable in connection with a rewards program administered at least in part by a rewards program system; determining whether information for an item being registered with the rewards program system by a member of the rewards program exists in the ER database in cooperation with a processor of the ER system; updating the ER database in cooperation with the processor of the ER system so as to include an entry for the item being registered and authorizing the rewards program system to award reward points associated with the item to the member registering the item, the entry including an anonymous member identifier, when the ER database does not include information for the item being registered; and examining item information entered by the member who previously registered the product and item information entered by the member attempting to register the product to identify a suspected fraudster when the ER database includes information for the item being registered, and sending the anonymous member identifier of the suspected fraudster to the rewards program system providing for potential follow-up by rewards program personnel when the ER database includes information for the item being registered. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electronic registration (ER) system, comprising:
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an ER database including a plurality of entries for sold items, each said entry including a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and each said item having reward points associated therewith, the reward points being redeemable in connection with a rewards program administered at least in part by a rewards program system; and a processor configured to execute instructions for querying the ER database, wherein the processor is configured to search the ER database when an item is presented for return or refund at a location to (a) locate a matching entry, and (b) determine whether the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and whether reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to a member and/or redeemed by the member, wherein the processor is further configured to generate and send a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location when the item presented for return or refund has not been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have not been credited to the member, wherein the processor is further configured to generate and send a signal to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to any return/refund policies of the location when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system and the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member and further authorizing the debiting of a corresponding number of reward points from the member, and wherein the processor is further configured to generate and send a signal to the location denying the return or refund when the item presented for return or refund has been registered with the rewards program system, the reward points associated with the item presented for return or refund have been credited to the member, and the reward points have been redeemed, wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electronic registration (ER) system, comprising:
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an ER database including entries for sold items, each said entry including item information including at least a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and each said item having reward points associated therewith, the reward points being redeemable in connection with a rewards program administered at least in part by a rewards program system; and a processor configured to determine whether information for the item being registered exists in the ER database when an item is being registered with the rewards program system by a member of the rewards program, wherein the ER database is updatable when the processor indicates that the ER database does not include information for the item being registered so as to include an entry for the item being registered and wherein the processor is configured to instruct the rewards program system to award reward points associated with the item to the member registering the item, the entry including an anonymous member identifier, and wherein the processor is further configured to examine item information entered by the member who previously registered the product and item information entered by a member attempting to register the product to identify a suspected fraudster, and send the anonymous member identifier of the suspected fraudster to the rewards program system providing for potential follow-up by rewards program personnel, wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification