Patents Assigned to The Western Union Company
  • Patent number: 11176525
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transferring money to a bank account are provided. Transactional information, which includes information on a bank account that is to receive the money, may be transmitted to a host computer system from a point of sale device. The transaction information may be stored at the host computer system. At least some of the transaction information may be sent to an intermediary computer system that is configured to interact with a plurality of banking networks in different countries. The intermediary computer system may also determine which one of the banking networks is associated with the bank account that is to receive the money. A request may be transmitted from the intermediary computer network to a local banking network and includes information on the bank account that is to receive the money and an amount of money to deposit. The bank account may then be credited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Michelsen, Dan Canning, Roberto Ochoa, Rodolfo Zavaleta, Rodrigo Sada
  • Patent number: 11164244
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-implemented method of assessing a fraud risk is provided. The method can include: receiving data associated with a plurality of customer complaints, wherein data associated with each of the customer complaints at least suggests that a money-transfer transaction did not complete as expected, and wherein data associated with each of the customer complaints is associated with one or more of a plurality of money-transfer agents; electronically storing the data related in a complaint database; and for each of the plurality of money-transfer agents, using a risk processor to: retrieve data associated with the money-transfer agent from the complaint database, and determine a fraud-risk index for the money-transfer agent based on the retrieved data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Kevin Favreau, Hollis Baugh, Robert Enzaldo
  • Publication number: 20210314298
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for optimizing and cleaning rules for network-based authentication transactions are provided herein. A network-based authentication system may determine a plurality of rules that were previously used to evaluate a plurality of transactions. The network-based authentication system may also generate a false positive rate for one or more of the plurality of rules, A cleaning coefficient for a first rule of the plurality of rules may be generated by the network-based authentication system. Based on the cleaning coefficient and the false positive rate, the network-based authentication system may identify one or more rules from the plurality of rules to eliminate from the plurality of rules. The network-based authentication system may eliminate the one or more rules to generate a modified set of rules. Using the modified set of rules, the network-based authentication system may authenticate a network transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Chaoyun Chen, Quan Li, Zifang Huang
  • Patent number: 11138610
    Abstract: A card number and an address are requested from a customer at a POS device. An AVS system compares the customer-provided address against a billing address or record for the card that is maintained by a card issuer. If the address provided by the customer matches the billing address of record, a second card number is requested from customer. That second card number is sent to the AVS system and the billing address stored by the issuer for the second card number is also checked against the address provided by the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Girish Balasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20210295302
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to a multipurpose smartphone device. More specifically, embodiments described herein disclose a smartphone that is capable of being used as a point-of-sale (POS) device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Abhinav Gupta, Khalid Fellahi
  • Publication number: 20210281545
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to network-based threat detection mechanisms. Specifically, embodiments described herein describe a communication mechanism that filters (e.g., allows or blocks) received communications according to an iterative security list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventor: Ricardo Ledezma Henry
  • Publication number: 20210272175
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and/or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and/or the benefit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Michele Demark, Michael Michelsen, Diane Scott, Chris Cochran
  • Publication number: 20210272095
    Abstract: Various methods, systems, and devices are described for performing money transfers to one or more payees from one or more payors using a money transfer system. A party, such as a payor, a payee, or a third party may create a set of payee rules. The same or a different party may also create a set of payor rules. The payee rules may comprise conditions which, when satisfied, permit a payee to receive funds from a funds pool. The payor rules may comprise conditions which, when satisfied, permit a payor to provide funds to the funds pool. The money transfer system may determine whether requests from a payor and a payee comply with the payor rules and the payee rules, respectively. Based on the determination, the payor and/or payee may be permitted to complete their requested transaction, or their transaction may be denied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: David A. Owen, Michael Michelsen, Kurt Bulawa, Michele Demark
  • Publication number: 20210232273
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a customized or personalized GUI. More specifically, embodiments described herein disclose systems and process for deriving user preferences based upon previous actions of a set of users and using those user preferences to personalize one or more widgets within a GUI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Mayank Gupta, Shankar Narayan
  • Publication number: 20210224782
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for configuring a web application for global money transfers include a customer mobile device, a processor, and a memory having processor-readable instructions that cause the processor to collect data from a web application, whereby the web application is provided on the customer mobile device in operative communication with the host computer, and determine at least one of an optional field and a required field based on the collected data. The at least one optional field and required field may receive input for conducting a money transfer. The processor-readable instructions may cause the processor to send instructions to a user interface (“UP”) for the web application, whereby the instructions are indicative of the at least one optional field and required field, and configure the UI to display the at least one optional field and required field at the web application of the customer mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Vijaya Kouru, Tarun Bhagwan, Sanjay Saraf
  • Patent number: 11037147
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a fraud deterrent for retail money transfer or stored value product. In some embodiments, a two dimensional grid of number, letters, characters, and/or symbols can be provided retail packaging or cards that can be used as a second authentication factor in order to redeem funds. In some embodiments, methods and/or systems are also provided that associate control numbers with the grid, create the grid, provide the grid on packaging, and/or use the grid to authenticate a customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: William Madden, Chris Cochran, Patty McKernan
  • Patent number: 11023874
    Abstract: Various methods, systems, and devices are described for performing money transfers to one or more payees from one or more payors using a money transfer system. A party, such as a payor, a payee, or a third party may create a set of payee rules. The same or a different party may also create a set of payor rules. The payee rules may comprise conditions which, when satisfied, permit a payee to receive funds from a funds pool. The payor rules may comprise conditions which, when satisfied, permit a payor to provide funds to the funds pool. The money transfer system may determine whether requests from a payor and a payee comply with the payor rules and the payee rules, respectively. Based on the determination, the payor and/or payee may be permitted to complete their requested transaction, or their transaction may be denied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: David A. Owen, Michael Michelsen, Kurt Bulawa, Michele Demark
  • Publication number: 20210153017
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a mobile device in real-time. The method includes detecting the mobile device, sending a text message containing a unique uniform resource locator (“URL”) to the mobile device, and detecting an access of the unique URL by the mobile device through a first communication path. In response to detecting the access of the unique URL, requesting and subsequently receiving, by the host system in real-time, a phone number and a subscriber identification ID associated with the mobile device through a second communication path distinct from the first communication path, and a device fingerprint of the mobile device through the first communication path. The method further includes initiating a risk analysis based on the phone number, the subscriber ID, and the device fingerprint and determining an authentication status of the mobile device based on the risk analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Abhinav Gupta, Bernard McManus, Don McNelley
  • Publication number: 20210150540
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and mitigating non-compliances include determining an agent location of a money service business for review, obtaining a photograph and geographic coordinates of the agent location, and collecting field data at the agent location through a mobile application. Such information are sent from the mobile application to a central server of a third party vendor for a series of quality checks and stored at the central server. Such information may be used for further corrective action against the agent location reviewed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Manju Rai, Murali Ravichandran, Jacqueline Molnar, Noel Brandt, Niren Kinikar
  • Patent number: 10984459
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and/or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and/or the benefit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Michele Demark, Michael Michelsen, Diane Scott, Chris Cochran
  • Patent number: 10977640
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for configuring a web application for global money transfers include a customer mobile device, a processor, and a memory having processor-readable instructions that cause the processor to collect data from a web application, whereby the web application is provided on the customer mobile device in operative communication with the host computer, and determine at least one of an optional field and a required field based on the collected data. The at least one optional field and required field may receive input for conducting a money transfer. The processor-readable instructions may cause the processor to send instructions to a user interface (“UI”) for the web application, whereby the instructions are indicative of the at least one optional field and required field, and configure the UI to display the at least one optional field and required field at the web application of the customer mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Vijaya Kouru, Tarun Bhagwan, Sanjay Saraf
  • Publication number: 20210067548
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for detecting malicious activity within a network are provided herein. A method for detecting malicious activity within a network may include receiving, by a network-based authentication system, a network transaction. The network-based authentication system may identify a first attribute of the network transaction. The method may also include selecting, by the network-based authentication system, a first learning statistical model and a second learning statistical model from a plurality of models for handling the network transaction. Each of the first learning statistical model and the second learning statistical model may create a likelihood that the network transaction is authentic. The first learning statistical model may calculate a first score and the second learning statistical score may calculate a second score. Based on a comparison of the first score to a first threshold and the second score to a second threshold, the network transaction may be authenticated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Noel Brandt, Robert Enzaldo, Charles Champion, Brent Lemieux
  • Publication number: 20210067524
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for determining a malicious derivative entity within a network are provided herein. A method for determining a malicious derivative entity may include receiving, by a network-based authentication system, a plurality of network transactions. A first attribute of a network transaction within the plurality of network transactions may be identified. The method may also include identifying a plurality of entities for the first attribute. The network-based authentication system may generate a first visual representation of a relationship between the first attribute and the plurality of derivative entities. Each of the derivative entities and the first attribute may be represented as nodes within the first visual representation. A first score for each of the nodes may be determined based on a degree of centrality of the nodes within the first visual representation. One network transaction may be blocked based on at least one node exceeding a first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Noel Brandt, Robert Enzaldo, Charles Champion, Brent Lemieux
  • Patent number: 10929854
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying and mitigating non-compliances include determining an agent location of a money service business for review, obtaining a photograph and geographic coordinates of the agent location, and collecting field data at the agent location through a mobile application. Such information are sent from the mobile application to a central server of a third party vendor for a series of quality checks and stored at the central server. Such information may be used for further corrective action against the agent location reviewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Manju Rai, Murali Ravichandran, Jacqueline Molnar, Noel Brandt, Niren Kinikar
  • Patent number: 10911951
    Abstract: A method for authenticating a mobile device in real-time. The method includes detecting the mobile device, sending a text message containing a unique uniform resource locator (“URL”) to the mobile device, and detecting an access of the unique URL by the mobile device through a first communication path. In response to detecting the access of the unique URL, requesting and subsequently receiving, by the host system in real-time, a phone number and a subscriber identification ID associated with the mobile device through a second communication path distinct from the first communication path, and a device fingerprint of the mobile device through the first communication path. The method further includes initiating a risk analysis based on the phone number, the subscriber ID, and the device fingerprint and determining an authentication status of the mobile device based on the risk analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Western Union Company
    Inventors: Abhinav Gupta, Bernard McManus, Don McNelley