Verification of a person identifier received online

• US 20040243832A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paypal Israel Ltd. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Paypal Israel Ltd. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilf, Saar, Shaked, Shvat
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

A_system and method for verification fo a person identifier received online is described. The method includes receiving a request for verifying a person identifier (PI1); and estimating whether (a) PI1 identifies the same person as another person identifier (PI2), (b) sender of PI1 is the same person as sender of PI2, and (c) PI2 identifies the sender of PI2.

Claims

1. A method of verifying a first person identifier comprising:

a. Receiving a Verification Request including the first person identifier; and

b. Estimating whether Verification Conditions including;

i. the first person identifier and a second person identifier satisfy a Same Person Condition,

ii. a sender of the first person identifier and a sender of said second person identifier satisfy a Same Sender Condition, and

iii. said second person identifier identifies said sender of said second person identifier;

 

are true.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of sending a Verification Report indicating whether the first person identifier identifies said sender of the first person identifier, said Verification Report being based on results of said estimating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said Verification Request further includes at least one information element chosen from the group consisting of:

a. Said second person identifier;

b. A first sender indicator relating to the sender of the first person identifier;

c. A second sender indicator relating to the sender of said second person identifier; and

d. Verification Information for said second person identifier

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said estimating further includes:

a. Sending at least one query to at least one Person Identifier-Sender Indicator Database; and

b. Receiving at least one response to said at least one query.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of said at least one query is a conditional query describing at least one of said Verification Conditions.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said estimating further includes estimating whether said at least one response to said at least one query satisfies at least one of said Verification Conditions other than said at least one Verification Condition that was described in said at least one query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said Same Person Condition is satisfied if the first person identifier and said second person identifier have a Same Person Relation that includes at least one relation between two person identifiers selected from the group consisting of:

a. Said two person identifiers include identical portions;

b. Said two person identifiers include portions that are identical except for spelling differences;

c. A first of said two person identifiers includes an abbreviation of a second of said two person identifiers;

d. Said two person identifiers include numerically close phone numbers;

e. Said two person identifiers include geographically close geographical parameters;

f. A directory record associates a person identifier that has a Same Person Relation with a first of said two person identifiers with another person identifier that has a Same Person Relation with a second of said two person identifiers; and

g. Each of said two person identifiers has a respective Same Person Relation with a third person identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said Same Sender Condition is satisfied if a message containing the first person identifier and a message containing said second person identifier have a Same Sender Relation that includes at least one relation, between a first message and a second message, selected from the group consisting of:

a. Membership of said first message and said second message in a common integral message;

b. A relation between a time said first message was sent and a time said second message was sent;

c. A relation between a reliable network address of a sender of said first message and a reliable network address of a sender of said second message;

d. A first secret contained in said first message and a second secret contained in said second message being derivatives of a common secret;

e. A first secret that was sent to a sender of said first message and a second secret contained in said second message being derivatives of a common secret; and

f. Each of said messages having a respective Same Sender Relation with a third message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said relation between said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message includes at least one relation selected from the group consisting of:

a. Identity of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message;

b. Membership in a common sub-network of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message;

c. Use of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message by a common organization;

d. Use of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message by two related organizations;

e. Use of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message by a common Internet Service Provider;

f. Use of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message by a common Internet Service Provider Point of Presence; and

g. Association of said reliable network address of said sender of said first message and said reliable network address of said sender of said second message with close geographical locations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said reliable network addresses is a reliable network address selected from the group consisting of:

An IP address, an IP address together with a UDP port number, a TCP session handle, and a physical interface identifier.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said first and second secrets is a secret selected from the group consisting of:

A secret kept by a device, a secret HTTP cookie, a secret HTTP secure cookie, an SMTP header, an HTTP header, a hardware identifier, a secret kept in a software component installed on a device, a secret assigned to a person for online use, a username and password, a secret URL, a network address, an IP address, a UDP port number, and a TCP session handle.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second person identifier is considered to identify said sender of said second person identifier if at least one second person identifier condition is true, said second person identifier condition being selected from the group consisting of:

a. Said second person identifier was verified using an existing method for verification of a person identifier;

b. Said second person identifier was verified by performing a successful offline action based on said second person identifier;

c. Said second person identifier was verified by successfully charging an account;

d. Said second person identifier was verified by successfully charging a credit card;

e. Said second person identifier was verified by receiving online a code sent to a mailing address;

f. Said second person identifier was verified by receiving online a code sent in a phone call;

g. Said second person identifier was verified by receiving, during a phone call, a code sent online;

h. Said second person identifier was received in conditions atypical of fraud;

i. Said second person identifier was sent a considerable period of time before the first person identifier was sent;

j. Said second person identifier was sent a considerable period of time after the first person identifier was sent;

k. Said second person identifier was sent to a service that fraudsters lack incentive to defraud;

l. Said second person identifier is associated with significant online activity typical of legitimate users;

m. Said second person identifier was provided by a trustable authorized agent of said sender of said second person identifier; and

n. Said second person identifier was verified using the method of claim 1.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said estimating is effected using at least one estimating method selected from the group consisting of:

a. Rule-based logic;

b. An automated learning technology;

c. A neural network; and

d. Probabilistic analysis.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein said Verification Report includes at least one information element selected from the group consisting of:

a. A positive response;

b. A negative response;

c. Said second person identifier;

d. A sender indicator relating to said second person identifier;

e. Verification Information of said second person identifier;

f. A score describing a probability that the first person identifier and said second person identifier satisfy a Same Person Condition;

g. A score describing a probability that said sender of the first person identifier and said sender of said second person identifier satisfy a Same Sender Condition;

h. A score describing a probability that said second person identifier identifies said sender of said second person identifier; and

i. A score describing a probability that the first person identifier identifies said sender of the first person identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said score describing said probability that the first person identifier identifies said sender of the first person identifier is based on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a. A probability that the first person identifier and said second person identifier satisfy a Same Person Condition;

b. A probability that said sender of the first person identifier and said sender of said second person identifier satisfy a Same Person Condition;

c. A probability that said second person identifier identifies said sender of said second person identifier;

d. Difficulty in gaining access to a secret upon which said Same Sender Condition is based;

e. Reliability of an address of said sender of the first person identifier;

f. Reliability of an address of said sender of said second person identifier

g. Accuracy and reliability of external data sources used in said step of estimating;

h. Popularity of the first person identifier;

i. Popularity of said second person identifier;

j. Tendency of people to change a person identifier;

k. Time elapsed between sending of the first person identifier and sending of said second person identifier;

l. Time elapsed since charging an account identified by said second person identifier; and

m. Time elapsed since charging a credit card identified by said second person identifier.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said estimating further includes:

a. Sending at least one query to at least one Person Identifier Directory; and

b. Receiving at least one response to said at least one query.

17. The method of claim 1, further including the step of generating at least one hash of at least a part of at least one information element selected from the group consisting of:

a. The first person identifier;

b. Said second person identifier;

c. A first sender indicator relating to the first person identifier; and

d. A second sender indicator relating to said second person identifier.

18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of determining a size of said at least one hash, based on at least one consideration selected from the group consisting of:

a. Information confidentiality; and

b. An acceptable level of false verifications.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein an entity receiving the first person identifier from said sender of the first person identifier is different than an entity receiving said second person identifier from said sender of said second person identifier.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of estimating is repeated with at least one person identifier other than said second person identifier.

21. The method of claim 1, further including the step of choosing which person identifier from a plurality of person identifiers to use as said second person identifier in said step of estimating.

22. The method of claim 1, further including the step of obtaining at least one sender indicator from said sender of the first person identifier.

23. The method of claim 1, further including the step of combining results of said estimating with results of at least one other method of verifying a person identifier.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one person identifier selected from the group consisting of the first person identifier and said second person identifier includes at least one information element selected from the group consisting of:

a full name, a first name, a middle name, a last name, name initials, a title, an address, a country, a state, a city, a street address, an apartment number, a zip code, a phone number, an email address, a financial account number, a credit card number, a bank account number, a government-issued identifier, a social security number, a driver'"'"'s license number, a national ID number, a passport number, personal characteristics, a height, a weight, a gender, a complexion, a race, and a hair color.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first person identifier is sent via a network selected from the group comprising:

a Wide Area Network, an Internet, a private data network, a CATV data network and a mobile data network.

26. A system for verifying a first person identifier comprising:

a. A Receiver for receiving a Verification Request including the first person identifier; and

b. A Verification Estimator for estimating whether the first person identifier and a second person identifier satisfy a Same Person Condition, for estimating whether a sender of the first person identifier and a sender of said second person identifier satisfy a Same Sender Condition, and for estimating whether said second person identifier identifies said sender of said second person identifier.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a Reporter for sending a Verification Report indicating whether the first person identifier identifies said sender of the first person identifier, said Verification Report being based on output of said Verification Estimator.

28. The system of claim 26, further including a Person Identifier Directory Query Module for sending a query to a Person Identifier Directory and receiving a response to said query, said response then used by said Verification Estimator.

29. The system of claim 28, further including at least one said Person Identifier Directory.

30. The system of claim 26, further including a Person Identifier-Sender Indicator Database Query Module for sending a query to at least one Person Identifier-Sender Indicator Database and receiving a response to said query, said response then used by said Verification Estimator.

31. The system of claim 30, further including at least one said Person Identifier-Sender Indicator Database.

32. The system of claim 26, further including a Hash Generator for generating at least one hash of at least a part of at least one information element selected from the group comprising:

a. The first person identifier;

b. Said second person identifier;

c. A first sender indicator relating to the first person identifier; and

d. A second sender indicator relating to said second person identifier.

33. A method of verifying a first person identifier sent by a first sender, comprising:

a. Receiving a Verification Request including the first person identifier;

b. Verifying a first user can access a message sent to an email address;

c. Estimating whether;

i. The first person identifier and said email address satisfy a Same Person Condition;

ii. The first sender and said first user satisfy a Same Sender Condition; and

iii. said email address identifies a second user, said second user registered said email address.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said email address is replaced by a unique identifier in an Instant Messaging Service.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of verifying a first user can access a message sent to an email address comprises:

a. Sending a secret to said email address; and

b. Receiving a derivative of said secret from said first user.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said email address is considered to identify said second user if at least one condition is true, said condition chosen from the group consisting of:

a. Said email address was created by a trustable authorized agent of said second user;

b. Said email address was registered in conditions atypical of fraud;

c. Said email address was registered a considerable period of time before the first person identifier was sent;

d. Said email address was deliverable a considerable period of time before the first person identifier was sent;

e. An email message was sent to said email address a considerable period of time before the first person identifier was sent;

f. Said email address is included in a marketing database;

g. Said email address was sent to a service that fraudsters lack incentive to defraud; and

h. Said email address is associated with significant online activity typical of legitimate users.