Method and apparatus for reducing fraudulent credit transactions by requiring merchant return of multi-digit authorization codes

• US 7,644,035 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Sacheti, Sandeep K., Biffle, Jan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAZIMI, HANI M
• Application Number:
  US11/132,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705 40- 42, 235379-381
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Processes for reducing fraudulent credit transactions, including financial (e.g., credit, charge, debit, etc.) card transactions, are introduced, in which merchants receive multi-digit authorization codes from a credit provider (e.g., a customer transaction account card user) with all approved transactions. To guarantee payment, all merchants are required to later resubmit the multi-digit authorization code with every record of charge, regardless of dollar amount, as verification that an authorization was obtained. Merchants that fail to provide any authorization code, or an incorrect authorization code, will be subject to a chargeback for non-compliance.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reducing fraudulent credit transactions, comprising:

receiving, from a merchant, a credit transaction request including a payment amount and an identification of a customer transaction account;

transmitting, to the merchant, an authorization for the credit transaction request when the customer transaction account is in good standing, wherein the authorization includes an encrypted multi-digit authorization code, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code comprises information correlating to the customer transaction account;

receiving, from the merchant, the encrypted multi-digit authorization code and a request for payment for the credit transaction request;

determining via the computer a chargeback status of the merchant based upon at least the encrypted multi-digit authorization code,

flagging via the computer the merchant for a possible chargeback when the encrypted multi-digit authorization code is invalid, and

automatically charging back the credit transaction associated with the flagged merchant by monitoring for when a dispute occurs or there is non-payment by the customer within a threshold time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing a payment to the merchant for the credit transaction when the credit transaction is not disputed by a customer associated with the customer transaction account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least two characters selected from the group consisting of alphabetical and numeric characters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least three characters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least six characters.

6. An apparatus for reducing fraudulent credit transactions, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing a plurality of processing instructions enabling the processor to;

receive, from a merchant, a credit transaction request including a payment amount and an identification of a customer transaction account;

transmit, to the merchant, an authorization for the credit transaction request when the customer transaction account is in good standing, wherein the authorization includes an encrypted multi-digit authorization code, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code comprises information correlating to the customer transaction account;

receive, from the merchant, the encrypted multi-digit authorization code and a request for payment for the credit transaction request;

determine a chargeback status of the merchant based upon at least the encrypted multi-digit authorization code,

flag the merchant for a possible chargeback when the encrypted multi-digit authorization code is invalid, and

automatically charge back the credit transaction associated with the flagged merchant by monitoring for when a dispute occurs or there is non-payment by the customer within a threshold time interval.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of processing instructions further enables the processor to:

authorize a payment to the merchant for the credit transaction when the credit transaction is not disputed by a customer associated with the customer transaction account.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least two characters selected from the group consisting of alphabetical and numeric characters.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least three characters.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least six characters.

11. A computer readable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to reduce fraudulent credit transactions, when executed by the computer comprising the steps of:

receive, from a merchant, a credit transaction request including a payment amount and an identification of a customer transaction account;

transmit, to the merchant, an authorization for the credit transaction request when the customer transaction account is in good standing, wherein the authorization includes an encrypted multi-digit authorization code, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code comprises information correlating to the customer transaction account;

receive, from the merchant, the encrypted multi-digit authorization code and a request for payment for the credit transaction request;

determine a chargeback status of the merchant based upon at least the encrypted multi-digit authorization code,

flag the merchant for a possible charge back when the encrypted multi-digit authorization code is invalid, and

charge back the credit transaction associated with the invalid encrypted multi-digit authorization code by monitoring for when a dispute occurs or there is non-payment by the customer within a threshold time interval.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the control logic further comprises:

providing a payment to the merchant for the credit transaction when the credit transaction is not disputed by a customer associated with the customer transaction account.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least two characters selected from the group consisting of alphabetical and numeric characters.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least three characters.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code includes at least six characters.

16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive, from a merchant, a credit transaction request including a payment amount and an identification of a customer transaction account;

transmit to the merchant, an authorization for the credit transaction request when the customer transaction account is in good standing, wherein the authorization includes an encrypted multi-digit authorization code, wherein the encrypted multi-digit authorization code comprises information correlating to the customer transaction account;

receive, from the merchant, the encrypted multi-digit authorization code and a request for payment for the credit transaction request; and

determine a chargeback status of the merchant based upon at least the encrypted multi-digit authorization code,

flag the merchant for a possible chargeback when the encrypted multi-digit authorization code is invalid, and

automatically charge back the credit transaction associated with the flagged merchant by monitoring for when a dispute occurs or there is non-payment by the customer within a threshold time interval.