Apparatuses, methods and systems for a trackable virtual currencies platform

• US 8,660,946 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Driemeyer, Justin, Ocko, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US13/655,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 39
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

Method for detecting fraud includes receiving a fraud alert. The fraud alert is investigated by analyzing social graph information and other available information of one or more users associated with the fraud alert to determine likelihood of the users being involved in fraud. When it is determined that a fraud was committed based on the analysis, chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud are reversed and fraud events data related to the fraud are updated into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis.

Claims

1. A fraud detection method implemented by a processor, the method comprising:

receiving a fraud alert, the fraud alert initiated by a user and detected by a system executing the method;

investigating the fraud alert by analyzing social graph of the user associated with the fraud alert to determine likelihood of the user being involved in fraud;

when it is determined that the user was involved in the fraud based on the analysis,

reversing a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud;

updating fraud events data related to the fraud into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis,

wherein analyzing further includes examining information obtained from the social graph of the user associated with the fraud alert to determine if the user submitted a false claim, the examining includes,

determining different types of links between the user associated with the fraud alert and other users in the social graph, each type of link accorded a distinct weight; and

examining the weights associated with each of the different types of links to determine level of linkage of the user with the other users in the social graph, the type of links and level of linkage between the user and the other users in the social graph used in determining if a false claim was submitted by the user through the fraud alert,

wherein the method operations are performed by the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein investigating further includes retrieving the social graph related to the user from a social graph table for analysis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein investigating further includes retrieving the social graph related to the user from one or more social media networks for analysis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing further includes,

examining information obtained from the social graph of the user associated with the fraud alert according to predetermined rules;

calculating a fraud score corresponding to each predetermined rule for the user;

assigning a predetermined weight for each calculated fraud score associated with the user based on a weight accorded to the respective predetermined rules;

computing a weighted average of the fraud scores associated with the user using the calculated fraud scores;

comparing the weighted average of the fraud score associated with the user against a predetermined threshold value; and

establishing that a fraud was committed when the weighted average for the user exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein reversing a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud further includes,

retrieving information from a transaction table related to the fraudulent transactions, the information identifying one or more transaction entries generated for the fraudulent transactions;

retrieving information from a user table related to the users involved in the fraudulent transactions; and

reversing the one or more transaction entries related to the users involved in the fraudulent transactions upon successful verification that the fraud was committed, the reversing results in restoring virtual currency of one or more defrauded users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein investigating the fraud alert further includes monitoring transactions of the user associated with the fraud alert using a set of trackable virtual currency, the trackable virtual currency encoded with an unique identifier to aid in monitoring progression of the trackable virtual currency through a transaction system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein reversing a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud further includes,

examining transaction details associated with the fraudulent transactions to determine amount of virtual currency associated with one or more defrauded users that are involved in the fraudulent transactions and amount of trackable virtual currency transferred from one or more defrauded users to one or more of other users;

and

restoring the amount of virtual currency involved in the fraudulent transactions to the one or more defrauded users using new virtual currency upon successful verification that the fraud was committed.

8. The method of claim 7, further includes removing the trackable virtual currency from circulation.

9. A fraud detection method implemented by a processor, the method comprising:

receiving a fraud alert;

investigating the fraud alert by analyzing social graph of a user associated with the fraud alert to determine likelihood of the user being involved in fraud;

when it is determined that the user was involved in the fraud based on the analysis,

reversing a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud; and

updating fraud events data related to the fraud into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis,

wherein reversing a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud further includes,

determining amount of virtual currency associated with one or more defrauded users that are involved in the fraudulent transactions, the amount of virtual currency involved in the fraudulent transactions determined using a set of virtual currency that are configured for tracking, the set of virtual currency that can be tracked being encoded with unique identifier to aid in monitoring progression of the tracked virtual currency through an online game system; and

restoring the amount of virtual currency involved in the fraudulent transactions to the one or more defrauded users using new virtual currency, upon successful verification that the fraud was committed,

wherein the method operations are performed by the processor.

10. The method of claim 9, further includes removing the tracked virtual currency from circulation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein updating fraud event database further includes updating the fraud event associated with the fraud alert within the fraud event database to reflect the fraud alert was associated with actual fraud or the fraud alert was a false alarm,

wherein updating fraud event for the actual fraud includes recording information related to the fraud transaction including information related to the users involved in the fraud transaction, in the fraud event database.

12. A system for detecting fraud in an online gaming application, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor disposed in communication with the memory and configured to execute processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processing instructions are configured to;

receive a fraud alert;

investigate the fraud alert by analyzing social graph of a user associated with the fraud alert within a social network to determine likelihood of the user being involved in fraud, the user'"'"'s social graph providing information related to the user'"'"'s behavior toward other users, type of social link and level of association defined by the social link between the user and the one or more of the other users of the user'"'"'s social graph that were previously associated with potential fraud events, wherein the processing instructions for analysis includes processing instructions to examine information obtained from the social graph of the user associated with the fraud alert to determine if the user submitted a false claim, the examination is further configured to

determine different types of social links between the user associated with the fraud alert and other users in the social graph, each type of social link accorded a distinct weight;

examine the weights associated with each of the different types of social links to determine level of linkage of the user with the other users in the social graph, the type of social links and level of linkage between the user and the other users in the social graph used in determining if a false claim was submitted by the user through the fraud alert;

when it is determined that the user was involved in the fraud event based on the analysis, the processing instructions are further configured to,

reverse a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud;

update fraud events data related to the fraud into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis; and

notify, the one or more of the other users associated with the fraud, a status of their respective user accounts in response to the reversing.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein processing instructions to analyze social graph is further configured to,

examine information from the social graph of the user associated with the fraud alert, according to predetermined rules;

calculate a fraud score corresponding to each predetermined rule for the user;

assign a predetermined weight for each calculated fraud score associated with the user based on a weight accorded to the respective predetermined rules;

compute a weighted average of the fraud scores associated with the user using the calculated fraud scores;

compare the weighted average of the fraud score associated with the user against a predetermined threshold value; and

establish that a fraud was committed when the weighted average for the user exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein processing instructions to reverse a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud is further configured to,

retrieve information from a transaction table related to the fraudulent transactions, the information identifying one or more transaction entries generated for the fraudulent transactions;

retrieve information from a user table related to the users of the user accounts involved in the fraudulent transactions; and

reverse the one or more transaction entries related to the users involved in the fraudulent transactions upon successful verification that the fraud was committed, the reversing results in restoring virtual currency of one or more defrauded users.

15. A system for detecting fraud in an online gaming application, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor disposed in communication with the memory and configured to execute processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processing instructions are configured to;

receive a fraud alert, the fraud alert identifying a user associated with a fraud event that triggered the fraud alert;

investigate the fraud alert by analyzing social graph of a social network of the user associated with the fraud alert to determine likelihood of the user being involved in fraud, the social graph providing information related to the user'"'"'s behavior toward other users in the user'"'"'s social graph, type of social link and level of association defined by the social link between the user and the one or more of the other users of the user'"'"'s social graph that were previously associated with potential fraud events;

when it is determined that the user was involved in the fraud event based on the analysis, the processing instructions are further configured to,

reverse a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud;

update fraud events data related to the fraud into a fraud event database for subsequent analysis; and

notify, the one or more of the other users associated with the fraud, a status of their respective user accounts in response to the reversing,

wherein processing instructions to reverse a chain of fraudulent transactions related to the fraud is further configured to,

determine amount of virtual currency associated with one or more defrauded users that are involved in the fraudulent transactions, the amount of virtual currency involved in the fraudulent transactions determined using a set of virtual currency that are configured for tracking, the set of virtual currency that can be tracked being encoded with unique identifier to aid in monitoring progression of the tracked virtual currency through an online game system; and

restore the amount of virtual currency involved in the fraudulent transactions to the one or more defrauded users using new virtual currency upon successful verification that the fraud was committed.