Abstract: Some embodiments provide a credibility system that computes credibility scores to quantify the credibility of different businesses and to coalesce the generated credibility scores into various indices. The indices comparatively present the credibility of a particular business relative to other businesses along one or more dimensions. Based on the indices, the system identifies trends in the credibility of a particular business. The system derives preliminary credibility for a new business for which credibility data has not yet been obtained based on credibility that has been previously established for other businesses in an index associated with the new business. The system provides automated services for monitoring credibility of a business and for generating alerts to notify the business that its credibility has reached various thresholds. The system identifies business practices that improve upon or adversely affect the credibility of a particular business.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a credibility system including an interface portal for presenting a holistic view of entity credibility. To provide the holistic view, the credibility system aggregates credibility data from multiple data sources. The aggregated credibility data is processed and ordered to present different dimensions of entity credibility, with each dimension graphically presented in the interface portal through an interactive credibility module. In some embodiments, the credibility data associated with each credibility module is processed to produce at least one value that quantifiably represents the credibility data. In some embodiments, the credibility data associated with each credibility module is hierarchically ordered to present the credibility data in a drill-down fashion with each hierarchical layer presenting more detailed credibility data for better understanding the credibility data presented in the preceding layer.

Abstract: A system is provided to restrict the ability of a spammer to freely contact an entity over a communication channel. To do so, the system reconfigures a communication channel used to contact the target entity such that the system can intercept a communication from a source contacting entity en route to the target entity. The system extracts an identifier (e.g., contacting entity's telephone number) from the communication and uses the identifier to query a database storing information about the contacting entity. The information reveals the contacting entity's industry, occupation, credibility, etc. From this information, the system automatically identifies the contacting entity as a spammer, potential spammer, or non-spammer. The system performs a default screening of the communication based on the classification. Alternatively, the target contacted entity can specify a configuration for different actions the system takes to screen the communication based on the source contacting entity classification.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a data intelligence extraction system for extracting intelligence from different events that are generated by separate and independently operating event generating sources within a business, wherein each event generating source records some set of business activities and the data associated with those activities. The intelligence that the system extracts includes a cradle-to-grave accounting for the engagement that different entities have with a business over the entirety of the entity-to-business relationship. This cradle-to-grave accounting is formed by the system linking events that are related causally, temporally, or on the basis of an entity to which they relate. The system then constructs data assets to capture the data from the linked events, and in so doing, provide the business with assets that compile the data the business has obtained on the different entities over the cradle-to-grave engagement with those entities.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an accurate and real-time account of an entity's verification status and credibility from transaction data. Some embodiments verify the entity's operational status by aggregating transaction data involving the entity and by determining if the transaction data satisfies some threshold number of transactions within a given time frame. If the threshold is satisfied, the entity is verified to be active and operational and have a “pulse”. The pulse can be used to scrub directories or marketing lists. Some embodiments derive the entity's credibility by monitoring for increases or decreases in the transaction data, wherein increases or decreases can be identified from changes in the transaction volume, changes in average transaction price, and/or changes in price of a good or service from one monitored interval to another. Some embodiments derive entity credibility by comparing those changes to changes in one or more competitors' transaction data.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a custom score generation system by offering third parties access to data from a shared database that they can merge with their own proprietary data for the purpose of defining and producing new data services. The system provides interfaces for selecting data elements from the shared database, attributing weights to the selected data elements, and defining scoring rules or parameters to automatically evaluate the significance of the data element values. Additionally, conditions may be specified to include different sets of the selected data elements, to attribute different weights to the different sets of the selected data elements, and to define different scoring rules according to which conditions are satisfied. The system then automatically formulates the algorithm to produce the custom score in conformance with the provided inputs and based on values for the selected data elements that are specific to different entities.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a data intelligence extraction system for extracting intelligence from different events that are generated by separate and independently operating event generating sources within a business, wherein each event generating source records some set of business activities and the data associated with those activities. The intelligence that the system extracts includes a cradle-to-grave accounting for the engagement that different entities have with a business over the entirety of the entity-to-business relationship. This cradle-to-grave accounting is formed by the system linking events that are related causally, temporally, or on the basis of an entity to which they relate. The system then constructs data assets to capture the data from the linked events, and in so doing, provide the business with assets that compile the data the business has obtained on the different entities over the cradle-to-grave engagement with those entities.

Abstract: A credibility scoring system produces a multi-dimensional entity credibility score that is derived from multiple dimensional component scores. The credibility scoring system derives each dimensional component score from a different set of credibility data pertaining to different dimensional aspect of overall credibility. The different dimensional aspects factoring into the overall credibility determination include a stability dimension, transparency dimension, trustworthiness dimension, and sentiment dimension.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an independent authentication system for authenticating entities that have registered accounts across different online service providers on behalf of the service providers. The authentication system maintains a database of previously verified entity information. A service provider requests authentication by providing the authentication system with unverified and basic identifying information used by an entity when registering with the service provider. The authentication system attempts to match the registration information against previously verified information for a known entity. When a match is found, the authentication system generates a series of challenge questions. The questions are submitted to the entity through the service provider and answers are processed in order to authenticate the entity.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a guarantor system for backstopping all or a substantial portion of a lender's portfolio of loans with an insurance guarantee. The guarantor system builds the insurance guarantee into the covered portion of the lender's portfolio in an integrated manner, whereby the overhead cost for insuring the loans of the portfolio is distributed across the portfolio instead of being distributed individually to each borrower based on the individual borrower's risk profile. Some embodiments also provide various monitoring services to reduce lender risk. These include contacting the borrower to remind the borrower of upcoming payments that are due, conducting a quasi-audit of the borrowers to inform the lenders of a potential risk of default, and establishing a credit profile for the borrower using the information collected as part of the quasi-audit.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an advocate system to facilitate automated online presence verification for different entities on behalf of the entities. The advocate system places service providers on notice that profiles and information hosted by them and that form the online presence for a particular entity should first be verified with that particular entity. The advocate system further facilitates online presence verification by 1) directly or indirectly connecting the service providers that are placed on notice with the appropriate authoritative entities to facilitate the verification of the profiles and information, 2) selectively targeting service providers hosting profiles and information that are unverified, 3) automatedly verifying hosted profiles and information based on a verified profile lists and verified information that authoritative entities provide to a central repository.

Abstract: A system is provided to restrict the ability of a spammer to freely contact an entity over a communication channel. To do so, the system reconfigures a communication channel used to contact the target entity such that the system can intercept a communication from a source contacting entity en route to the target entity. The system extracts an identifier (e.g., contacting entity's telephone number) from the communication and uses the identifier to query a database storing information about the contacting entity. The information reveals the contacting entity's industry, occupation, credibility, etc. From this information, the system automatically identifies the contacting entity as a spammer, potential spammer, or non-spammer. The system performs a default screening of the communication based on the classification. Alternatively, the target contacted entity can specify a configuration for different actions the system takes to screen the communication based on the source contacting entity classification.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a verification system for automated verification of entities. The verification system automatedly verifies entities using a two part verification campaign. One part verifies that the entity is the true owner of the entity account to be verified. This verification step involves (1) the entity receiving a verification code at the entity account and returning the verification code to the verification system, (2) the entity associating an account that it has registered at a service provider to an account that the verification system has registered at the service provider, (3) both. Another part verifies the entity can respond to communications that are sent to methods of contact that have been previously verified as belonging to the entity. The verification system submits a first communication with a code using a verified method of contact. The verification system then monitors for a second communication to be returned with the code.

Abstract: A credibility scoring system produces a multi-dimensional entity credibility score that is derived from multiple dimensional component scores. The credibility scoring system derives each dimensional component score from a different set of credibility data pertaining to different dimensional aspect of overall credibility. The different dimensional aspects factoring into the overall credibility determination include a stability dimension, transparency dimension, trustworthiness dimension, and sentiment dimension.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a custom score generation system by offering third parties access to data from a shared database that they can merge with their own proprietary data for the purpose of defining and producing new data services. The system provides interfaces for selecting data elements from the shared database, attributing weights to the selected data elements, and defining scoring rules or parameters to automatically evaluate the significance of the data element values. Additionally, conditions may be specified to include different sets of the selected data elements, to attribute different weights to the different sets of the selected data elements, and to define different scoring rules according to which conditions are satisfied. The system then automatically formulates the algorithm to produce the custom score in conformance with the provided inputs and based on values for the selected data elements that are specific to different entities.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a communication tool that directly sends messages to accounts of different entities across different social media sites by automatically identifying and associating the accounts of the entities when the entities are referenced in the contents of the messages. Such identification and association is performed without the message originator manually specifying the accounts as intended recipients for the messages. The communication tool also automatically sends messages to different social media accounts of the message originator.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a communication tool that directly sends messages to accounts of different entities across different social media sites by automatically identifying and associating the accounts of the entities when the entities are referenced in the contents of the messages. Such identification and association is performed without the message originator manually specifying the accounts as intended recipients for the messages. The communication tool also automatically sends messages to different social media accounts of the message originator.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an advocate system to facilitate automated online presence verification for different entities on behalf of the entities. The advocate system places service providers on notice that profiles and information hosted by them and that form the online presence for a particular entity should first be verified with that particular entity. The advocate system further facilitates online presence verification by 1) directly or indirectly connecting the service providers that are placed on notice with the appropriate authoritative entities to facilitate the verification of the profiles and information, 2) selectively targeting service providers hosting profiles and information that are unverified, 3) automatedly verifying hosted profiles and information based on a verified profile lists and verified information that authoritative entities provide to a central repository.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a verification system for automated verification of entities. The verification system automatedly verifies entities using a two part verification campaign. One part verifies that the entity is the true owner of the entity account to be verified. This verification step involves (1) the entity receiving a verification code at the entity account and returning the verification code to the verification system, (2) the entity associating an account that it has registered at a service provider to an account that the verification system has registered at the service provider, (3) both. Another part verifies the entity can respond to communications that are sent to methods of contact that have been previously verified as belonging to the entity. The verification system submits a first communication with a code using a verified method of contact. The verification system then monitors for a second communication to be returned with the code.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a credibility management system that aggregates user posts from several social media sites contemporaneously with the posts being published to those sites. The system parses each of the aggregated posts to identify an entity that is targeted in each of the posts and presents the posts to the targeted entities in a real-time manner. The credibility management system computes a score to determine the impact that a user post would have on the credibility of a targeted entity. By presenting the computed scores and aggregated posts to the targeted entities, the credibility management system notifies the targeted entities about what is being said about them across social media, identifies the impact of those posts, and provides a platform whereby the targeted entities can reply in order to mitigate or improve the impact that the posts would have on credibility.