Method and system for detection of a fuel card usage exception

• US 9,576,291 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleetcor Technologies Incorporated (NHI-2, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fleetcor Technologies Incorporated (NHI-2, LLC)
• Inventors: Lamb, Jeffrey D., Cole, Jason C., Johnson, Max L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US14/632,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

Determining a fuel card usage exception with the use of a computer that receives fuel card transaction data responsive to a fuel purchase event. The fuel card transaction data identifies a quantity of fuel purchased for a vehicle using a fuel card. In addition, the computer receives first fuel level data and second fuel level data of the vehicle that identifies a quantity of fuel present in a fuel tank of the vehicle prior to a fuel purchase event and after a fuel purchase event respectively. The computer can determine an exception associated with the fuel purchase event based on the fuel card transaction data, the first fuel level data, and the second fuel level data. Responsive to detecting an exception associated with the fuel purchase event, the computer may generate an alert and transmit the alert for presentation by a computing device of a user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server, a signal comprising an authorization request at a first time to authorize a fuel purchase event using a fuel card, wherein the authorization request comprises data that identifies a location of the fuel purchase event;

receiving, by the server, a signal comprising location data of a vehicle, the location data identifying a location of the vehicle;

comparing, by the server, the location of the fuel purchase event with the location of the vehicle;

determining, by the server, if the location of the fuel purchase event substantially matches the location of the vehicle;

generating, by the server, a first alert when the location of the fuel purchase event does not substantially match the location of the vehicle, the first alert being generated contemporaneous with the fuel purchase event;

transmitting, by the server, a signal comprising the alert for submission to and presentation by a communications device in a timeframe contemporaneous with the fuel purchase event;

responsive to the fuel purchase event using the fuel card, receiving, by the server, fuel card transaction data that is received as a batch data at a second time that is later than the first time, the fuel card transaction data identifying the location of the fuel purchase event and a quantity of fuel purchased for the vehicle;

validating, by the server, an accuracy of the first alert by comparing the location of the fuel purchase event obtained at the second time with a location of the vehicle at a time that substantially matches a time of the fuel purchase event; and

responsive to a determination that the first alert is inaccurate, updating the first alert with a result of the comparison of the location of the vehicle obtained at the second time with the location of the vehicle at the time that substantially matches the time of the fuel purchase event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprising the authorization request is received prior to completion of the fuel purchase event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the signal comprising the authorization request, determining that the fuel purchase event using the fuel card satisfies one or more rules associated with the fuel card.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more rules comprise a purchase limit associated with the fuel card.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more rules comprise a threshold number of transactions associated with the fuel card.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the signal comprising the authorization request, validating, by the server, a financial account associated with the fuel card.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a financial services card other than the fuel card is used for the fuel purchase event when a comparison of the quantity of fuel purchased with a difference in fuel level of the vehicle prior to the fuel purchase event and fuel level of the vehicle responsive to the fuel purchase event indicates that the quantity of fuel purchased is less than the calculated difference of fuel levels.

8. A system, comprising:

a Point of Sale (POS) device that is configured to generate a signal comprising an authorization request when a fuel card is used at the POS device in association with a fuel purchase event, the signal comprising the authorization request is generated at a first time;

a telematics device disposed at a vehicle and configured to record a location data identifying a location of the vehicle and a fuel level data that identifies a fuel level associated with the vehicle; and

a fuel card server that is communicatively coupled to the POS device and the telematics device, wherein the fuel card server is configured to;

receive the signal comprising the authorization request to authorize the fuel purchase event using the fuel card, wherein the authorization request comprises data that identifies a location of the fuel purchase event;

determine a time period associated with the fuel purchase event based on the authorization request;

retrieve location data of the vehicle that identifies the location of the vehicle at a time period that substantially matches the time period of the fuel purchase event;

compare the location of the fuel purchase event with the location of the vehicle at the time period that substantially matches the fuel purchase event;

determine if the location of the fuel purchase event substantially matches the location of the vehicle;

generate a first alert when the location of the fuel purchase event does not substantially match the location of the vehicle, the first alert being generated contemporaneous with the fuel purchase event; and

transmit a signal comprising the alert for presentation by a communications device;

responsive to the fuel purchase event using the fuel card, receive fuel card transaction data that is received as a batch data at a second time that is later than the first time, the fuel card transaction data identifying the location of the fuel purchase event and a quantity of fuel purchased for the vehicle;

validate an accuracy of the first alert by comparing the location of the fuel purchase event obtained at the second time with a location of the vehicle at the time period that substantially matches the time period of the fuel purchase event; and

responsive to a determination that the first alert is inaccurate, update the first alert with a result of the comparison of the location of the vehicle obtained at the second time with the location of the vehicle at the time period that substantially matches the time period of the fuel purchase event.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein responsive to receiving the signal comprising the authorization request, the fuel card server determines whether a financial account associated with the fuel card is valid for use in connection with the fuel purchase event.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein responsive to receiving the signal comprising the authorization request, the fuel card server determines whether the fuel purchase event using the fuel card satisfies one or more rules associated with the fuel card.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more rules comprise a purchase limit associated with the fuel card.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more rules comprise a threshold number of transactions associated with the fuel card.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal comprising the authorization request is received prior to completion of the fuel purchase event.

14. A system, comprising:

a computer network; and

a fuel card server that is communicatively coupled to the computer network and configured to;

receive a signal comprising an authorization request at a first time to authorize a fuel purchase event using a fuel card, wherein the authorization request comprises data that identifies a location of the fuel purchase event;

retrieve location data of a vehicle that identifies the location of the vehicle at a time period that substantially matches a time period of the fuel purchase event;

compare the location of the fuel purchase event with the location of the vehicle to determine if the location of the fuel purchase event substantially matches the location of the vehicle; and

transmit a signal comprising first alert to a communication device via a wireless communication link when the location of the fuel purchase event does not substantially match the location of the vehicle, wherein the communication device is coupled to the fuel card server via a wireless communication link and is configured to present the first alert at a time period contemporaneous with the fuel purchase event;

responsive to the fuel purchase event using the fuel card, receive fuel card transaction data that is received as a batch data at a second time that is later than the first time, the fuel card transaction data identifying the location of the fuel purchase event and a quantity of fuel purchased for the vehicle;

validate an accuracy of the first alert by comparing the location of the fuel purchase event obtained at the second time with a location of the vehicle at a time that substantially matches a time of the fuel purchase event; and

responsive to a determination that the first alert t is inaccurate, update the first alert with a result of the comparison of the location of the vehicle obtained at the second time with the location of the vehicle at the time that substantially matches the time of the fuel purchase event.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein responsive to receiving the signal comprising the authorization request, the fuel card server determines whether the fuel purchase event using the fuel card satisfies one or more rules associated with the fuel card.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more rules comprise a purchase limit associated with the fuel card.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more rules comprise a threshold number of transactions associated with the fuel card.