Abstract: Methods and systems coordinate an Internet-based financial transaction between an Internet merchant and a customer. A first information packet is received with a payment network from the Internet merchant. The first information packet has a credential assigned to the customer and transaction information specifying at least a cost of the Internet-based financial transaction. With the payment network, account information is determined that identifies a financial account maintained by the customer at a financial institution and authorization information that allows debit access to the identified financial account. A second information packet that includes the transaction information, the account information, and the authorization information is generated with the payment network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first information packet is received at a payment network from a merchant, which includes a financial transaction cost and a credential presented by the customer as a payment for the financial transaction. The payment network uses the private label card account number to determine a financial account maintained by the customer at a financial institution and authorization information that allows debit access to the identified financial account; generates a second information packet comprising the transaction information, the account information, and the authorization information; and selects one of a plurality of transaction networks over which to transmit the second information packet to the financial institution. The second information is then transmitted from the payment network to the financial institution with a request to perform a debit transaction from the identified financial account for at least a portion of the cost of the financial transaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that determine a threshold value for an authorization check, such as an age verification, that is performed at a point of sale or other point of access control where access to a product, service, location, event, or the like, is restricted to individuals who meet an authorization threshold. In embodiments associated with purchases that comprise a variety of items for purchase and a variety of associated age-related authorization thresholds, systems and methods are described for determining an age-related authorization threshold for the purchase as a whole that will authorize the purchase of the items. In embodiments in which a purchaser's authorization is checked with respect to a determined threshold value, a record of the authorization check can be stored and can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization check for the encounter was carried out using the determined threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a point-of-sale device to obtain biometric information from an individual presenting a second-party check in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, a biometric sample is obtained from the check presenter and is compared to stored biometric data in order to enhance an assessment of the correct identification of the check presenter. In various embodiments, the biometric information, along with other transaction-related information, such as information about one or more authentication marks from the check, is transmitted to a check authorization system for a risk assessment of the transaction. In various embodiments, the point-of-sale device may receive an accept/decline recommendation from the check authorization system, based at least in part on the biometric information and may display a message about the recommendation to an operator of the point-of-sale device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a point-of-sale device to obtain information about a payor of a second-party check or other negotiable instrument presented for a proposed check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, a keyboard, touchscreen, voice input system or other input system is used to enter information about a payor of a second-party check, which may comprise, for example, payor name, payor bank account identifier, payor location information, and the like. The payor information may be used to determine the proximity of the payor to the location of the proposed check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, the point-of-sale device transmits the payor information to a check authorization system for a risk assessment of the transaction. In some embodiments, the point-of-sale device may prompt an operator or a check presenter to enter payor information in response to a request from the check authorization system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using a point-of-sale device at a check-cashing entity to obtain information about one or more authenticating marks, such as watermarks, bar codes, background patterns, color schemes, insignia, security validation numbers, or the like, from a second-party check or other negotiable instrument presented for a proposed check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, the authenticating mark information may be compared to stored information about expected configurations of authenticating marks as part of a risk assessment of the check. In various embodiments, the point-of-sale device transmits authenticating mark information to a check authorization system. The point-of-sale device may receive an accept/decline recommendation for the transaction from the check authorization system, based at least in part on the obtained authenticating mark information. The point-of-sale device may display a message about the recommendation to an operator of the device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for better assessing risk associated with cashing second-party checks and other negotiable instruments. The systems and methods make use of information about authenticating marks, such as watermarks, bar codes, insignia, background patterns, and the like, from a check in order to better assess the legitimacy and cashability of the check. In various embodiments, information about an authenticating mark may be compared to stored information about an expected configuration for the authenticating mark. In various embodiments, a gradated risk score may be generated, based at least in part on the comparison. In various embodiments, the risk score may be combined with risk scores that are descriptive of other aspects of a check cashing transaction to calculate a risk score for the transaction as a whole. In some embodiments, the transaction risk score may be used to generate an accept/decline recommendation for the transaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for better assessing risk associated with cashing second-party checks and other negotiable instruments using positive pay or other reconciliation information about a check presented for cashing. Positive pay information, which may be made available by a check issuer, provides a list of checks that have been, for example, issued and not yet cashed, already cashed, voided, stolen, and the like, thus providing an indication of whether the check issuer is willing to honor the checks. In various embodiments, positive pay information about a check may be expressed as a gradated positive pay risk score. In various embodiments, the positive pay risk score may be combined with risk scores that are descriptive of other aspects of the check cashing transaction to calculate a risk score for the transaction as a whole. In some embodiments, the risk scores may be used to generate an accept/decline recommendation for the transaction as a whole.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for building, maintaining, and using a repository of information about payors of second-party checks presented at a check-cashing entity for cashing. In various embodiments, the repository comprises stored information useful for determining the location of a payor of a second-party check. In one embodiment, information from the check that identifies an account on which the check is drawn, such as magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line information from a paycheck, is used to access a repository of employer location information. In one embodiment, the payor location information is used to determine a proximity between the payor location and the check cashing entity location. In one embodiment, when a check is presented for which stored payor location information is not available, identifying information about the payor and/or the payor location is requested and is added to the repository.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for better assessing risk associated with cashing second-party checks and other negotiable instruments by using biometric information obtained from an individual who presents a check or other negotiable instrument in a check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, the obtained biometric information may be compared with stored biometric information in order to enhance confidence in the accurate identification of the check presenter. In various embodiments, a gradated biometric risk score, based at least in part on the comparison, may be generated for the check-cashing transaction. In various embodiments, the biometric risk score may be combined with risk scores that are descriptive of other aspects of the check-cashing transaction to calculate a risk score for the transaction as a whole. In some embodiments, the risk scores may be used to generate an accept/decline recommendation for the transaction as a whole.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for better assessing risk associated with cashing second-party checks and other negotiable instruments. The systems and methods make use of location-related information about an issuer of a second-party check being presented for cashing in order to better assess the legitimacy and cashability of the check. In various embodiments, information about the proximity of the check issuer to the check cashing location is used to enhance risk assessment of the check item. In various embodiments, location-based information about a check may be expressed as a gradated location-based risk score. In various embodiments, the location-based risk score may be combined with risk scores that are descriptive of other aspects of a check cashing transaction to calculate a risk score for the transaction as a whole. In some embodiments, the risk scores may be used to generate an accept/decline recommendation for the transaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that determine a threshold value for an authorization check, such as an age verification, that is performed at a point of sale or other point of access control where access to a product, service, location, event, or the like, is restricted to individuals who meet an authorization threshold. In embodiments associated with purchases that comprise a variety of items for purchase and a variety of associated age-related authorization thresholds, systems and methods are described for determining an age-related authorization threshold for the purchase as a whole that will authorize the purchase of the items. In embodiments in which a purchaser's authorization is checked with respect to a determined threshold value, a record of the authorization check can be stored and can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization check for the encounter was carried out using the determined threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that determine a threshold value for an authorization check, such as an age verification, that is performed at a point of sale or other point of access control where access to a product, service, location, event, or the like, is restricted to individuals who meet an authorization threshold. In embodiments associated with purchases that comprise a variety of items for purchase and a variety of associated age-related authorization thresholds, systems and methods are described for determining an age-related authorization threshold for the purchase as a whole that will authorize the purchase of the items. In embodiments in which a purchaser's authorization is checked with respect to a determined threshold value, a record of the authorization check can be stored and can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization check for the encounter was carried out using the determined threshold value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for selectively performing telephone number validation determinations in association with proposed financial transactions. In various embodiments, the validity or non-validity of a telephone number offered by a customer in conjunction with a proposed transaction is determined. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation determination is performed for every proposed financial transaction. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation determination is performed for proposed financial transactions in which a promissory payment is offered. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation determination is performed for proposed financial transactions in which the amount of the transaction exceeds a threshold amount.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for using information indicative of whether a phone number received from a customer in conjunction with a proposed financial transaction is valid or non-valid to help assess risk associated with the transaction. In one embodiment, information about the validity or non-validity of a telephone number is used to determine whether or not to accept the proposed financial transaction. In one embodiment, information about the validity or non-validity of a telephone number is converted into a variable that used in conjunction with other risk indicators to produce a risk score for evaluating the risk of a proposed transaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for accessing information indicative of the validity or non-validity of a telephone number offered in association with a transaction and for using the information to better evaluate the risk of participating in the transaction. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation system accesses stored information about numerical patterning, formatting, and/or correlations that may help to distinguish between valid and non-valid telephone numbers. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation system accesses stored information about telephone numbers that have been previously determined to be valid or non-valid.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining whether a telephone number offered by a customer in conjunction with a proposed financial transaction is valid or non-valid in order to better evaluate the risk of participating in the transaction. In one embodiment, a telephone number validation system directs a point-of-sale device to accept a telephone number from a customer who is offering a promissory payment and to dial the telephone number in order to confirm that the telephone number is a working number prior to accepting the promissory payment. In one embodiment, a suitably configured device may dial a telephone number and may determine whether the telephone number is valid or non-valid based on a perceived tone that is emitted in response to the call.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for storing the results of telephone number validation determinations that are made in association with proposed financial transactions. In some embodiments, a telephone number validation determination is performed by dialing a telephone number in question and by perceiving a tone emitted in response to the call. In one embodiment, a record of a telephone number validation determination comprises the telephone number, an indication of whether the number is determined to be valid or non-valid, and a date on which the validation determination was performed. Systems and methods are also described for using stored telephone number validation information for subsequent telephone number validation determinations, such that the validity or non-validity of telephone numbers for which acceptable validity information is stored may be determined by accessing the stored data, if desired, rather than by dialing the telephone number.

Abstract: The present invention includes a merchant system that recognizes virtually any payment device or technology that uses electronic check processing as a payment mechanism. For example, the merchant system associates presentation of the payment device with information used to electronically debit a checking account, such as MICR data, and submits the same to a transaction processor capable of settling electronic debit transactions.

Abstract: The present invention includes transaction processing systems that process transactions from merchant systems designed to convert the presentation of virtually any payment device or technology into electronic debits from a checking account. For example, the payment device can include a transponder, a loyalty card, one or more smart cards, a computing device, a personal digital assistant, a wireless telephone, one or more biometric elements, and one or more devices using biometric information.