Method of billing a purchase made over a computer network

• US 8,630,942 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fraud Control Systems com Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fraud Control Systems com Corporation
• Inventors: Felger, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMPEN, KELLY SCAGGS
• Application Number:
  US12/255,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/40, 705/39, 705/44, 705/26, 705/16, 705/18, 705/30, 705/36.R, 705/38, 705/26.1, 705/26.82
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• 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 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6027 Fraud preventions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 : Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 : Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 : Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 : Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method of effecting a sale over a computer network in which it is determined whether a user passes fraud control before effecting a sale over a computer network. Information associated with a method of payment, such as credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, a telephone service account, a cable television account, a utility service account, or an Internet service provider account, is requested from the user after the user passes the fraud control. Information associated with the method of payment is received from the user in real time. Method-of-payment information is communicated to a payment authorization database, which can be located locally or remotely. The method-of-payment information includes the received information associated with the method of payment. Payment authorization information associated with the method of payment is received from the payment authorization database. A sale transaction is completed when the payment authorization information is affirmative. Sale charge information associated with the sale effected over the computer network is transmitted to the payment authorization database when the sale transaction is complete. The sale charge information includes information for charging the method of payment an amount representing a charge for the sale.

Claims

1. A method for computerized fraud control for a transaction initiated over the Internet by a user at a user computer comprising:

receiving, over a computer network, a transaction request at a fraud control system, wherein the fraud control system comprises one or more computers adapted to receive the transaction request, the transaction request comprising;

a method of payment,

an account identifier,

an amount of the transaction, and

an Internet address associated with the user; and

evaluating, by at least one of the one or more computers of the fraud control system, the Internet address to determine whether the transaction may be fraudulent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating comprises comparing the Internet address to known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are in an Internet address negative database.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are in a negative database.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are configured by the party that sent the transaction request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating comprises comparing the Internet address to a set of Internet addresses maintained in computer storage that correspond to one or more geographic regions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating comprises:

identifying the number of transaction requests originating from the Internet address during a time period; and

comparing the number to a predetermined limit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating comprises checking for repeated transaction requests from the Internet address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request further includes physical address information associated with the user and wherein the evaluating further comprises comparing the physical address information with a geographic location associated with the Internet address.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the physical address information is selected from the group consisting of shipping address information and billing address information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request is denied based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request is held for manual review based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction request is approved based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of payment is selected from the group consisting of credit card, debit card, electronic draft, electronic check, and electronic funds transfer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet address associated with the user is an IP address of a personal computer connected to the Internet.

16. A computerized fraud control system for a transaction initiated over the Internet by a user at a user computer comprising:

a fraud control system adapted to receive, over a computer network, a transaction request, wherein the fraud control system comprises one or more computers, each including at least one processor, and the transaction request comprises;

a method of payment,

an account identifier,

an amount of the transaction, and

an Internet address associated with the user, wherein the fraud control system further evaluates, by at least one of the one or more computers, the Internet address to determine whether the transaction may be fraudulent.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaluating comprises comparing the Internet address to known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are in an Internet address negative database.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are in a negative database.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the known Internet addresses maintained in computer storage are configured by the party that sent the transaction request.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaluating comprises comparing the Internet address to a set of Internet addresses maintained in computer storage that correspond to one or more geographic regions.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaluating comprises:

identifying the number of transaction requests originating from the Internet address during a time period; and

comparing the number to a predetermined limit.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaluating comprises checking for repeated transaction requests from the Internet address.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the transaction request further includes physical address information associated with the user and wherein the evaluating further comprises comparing the physical address information with a geographic location associated with the Internet address.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the physical address information is selected from the group consisting of shipping address information and billing address information.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the transaction request is denied based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the transaction request is held for manual review based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the transaction request is approved based, at least in part, on the evaluating.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the method of payment is selected from the group consisting of credit card, debit card, electronic draft, electronic check, and electronic funds transfer.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the Internet address associated with the user is an IP address of a personal computer connected to the Internet.