Money transfer systems and methods

• US 8,960,537 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Bulawa, Kurt, Bohler, Corey Allen, Seifert, Dean A., Sayor, Thomas B., Baumgart, Mark, Crawford, Erik S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/683,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 705/39, 705/44
• US Class Current: 235/379
• 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 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• 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 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods of facilitating money transfers. The method includes receiving, at a money transfer system, access to a customer'"'"'s account, establishing, at the money transfer system, a money transfer record including a recipient and an amount, and receiving, at the money transfer system, an identifier for the money transfer record. The method further includes receiving presentation of the identifier at an input device of the money transfer system and authorizing a money transfer associated with the money transfer record.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating money transfers, the method comprising:

establishing a transfer record associated with a funds transfer package;

making the funds transfer package available for sale at a vendor location;

receiving a transfer activation request including an activation amount of funds to be associated with the funds transfer package;

receiving a transfer fulfillment request comprising;

a request to transfer a first portion of the funds to a first receiver;

a sender'"'"'s personal identification information; and

the first receiver'"'"'s personal identification information;

in response to the money transfer fulfillment request, providing a transaction identifier to the sender; and

authorizing payment of the first portion of the funds to the first receiver based on receipt of the transaction identifier from the first receiver.

2. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second transfer fulfillment request comprising;

a request to transfer a second portion of the funds to a second receiver; and

the second receiver'"'"'s personal identification information;

in response to the second transfer fulfillment request, providing a second transaction identifier to the sender; and

authorizing payment of the second portion of the funds to the second receiver based on receipt of the second transfer transaction identifier from the second receiver.

3. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein receiving the transfer fulfillment request comprises receiving an account identifier associated with the transfer record, the account identifier disposed on the funds transfer package.

4. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the funds transfer package denominates an amount of funds associated with the money transfer package.

5. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the amounts of funds to be associated with the money transfer package is provided by a purchaser of the funds transfer package.

6. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the first portion of funds is equal to the activation amount of funds.

7. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the transfer record comprises an account identifier and a code.

8. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 7, wherein receiving the transfer fulfillment request comprises receiving the account identifier and the code from the sender.

9. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 8, further comprising receiving the transfer fulfillment request via a website.

10. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the personal identification information comprises a name of the sender.

11. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the personal identification information comprises a name of the first or second receiver.

12. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the vendor location comprises a retail outlet.

13. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the activation amount of funds corresponds to the amount of funds denominated on the money transfer package.

14. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 1, wherein the first receiver and the second receiver are the same.

15. A method of facilitating money transfers, the method comprising:

providing a money transfer package available for sale at a vendor location, the money transfer package including;

a purchase code readable by a point of sale device at the vendor location for purchase of the money transfer package; and

a reference code associated with the money transfer package;

receiving a fulfillment request from a first party, the fulfillment request including the following information received from the first party;

identification information of the first party;

identification information of a second party; and

the reference code;

in response to the fulfillment request, providing a transaction identifier to the first party; and

authorizing payment of a money transfer to the second party based on receipt of the transaction identifier from the second party.

16. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the purchase code comprises a label or tag.

17. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the vendor location comprises a retail outlet.

18. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 17, wherein the fulfillment request is received via a website.

19. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the transaction number is received from the second party at a money transfer location of a money transfer host.

20. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the fulfillment request is received via a phone call.

21. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 20, wherein the money transfer transaction identifier is provided to a customer service representative or an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

22. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the money transfer package further includes a denomination of an amount of money associated with the money transfer package.

23. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the label or tag is a universal product code (UPC).

24. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 15, wherein the reference code comprise alphanumeric characters printed on the money transfer package.

25. The method of facilitating money transfers as in claim 24, wherein the alphanumeric code is hidden by a removable portion of the money transfer package.