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 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. 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 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 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: Most financial transactions involving check deposits and cashing at automatic teller machines are often associated with high risk. Although conventional security measures for many automatic teller machines record financial transactions, the recorded events are typically viewed after suspicious or criminal activity has already occurred. Therefore, a financial institution may not know in advance whether requested financial transactions are of suspicious or fraudulent intent. The present teachings relate to a method of scoring customers prior to authorization in a manner so as to identify suspicious behavior or suspicious activity. The method also relates to marking suspicious individuals by storing related transaction information, such as biometric data, in a database for purposes of verifying identification information and scoring the validity of future financial transactions.

Abstract: The present invention includes transaction processing systems that process transactions from merchant systems designed to convert the presentation of a transponder device into electronic debits from a checking account. The transaction processing systems also can provide risk assessment, validation or user data and/or MICR data, and/or transaction guarantee services.

Abstract: The present invention includes a merchant computing system that recognizes a wireless device, such as, for example, a wireless transponder, and converts the presentation of the wireless device into transaction requests for electronic debits to a checking account. The merchant computing system-enrolls users who provide MICR data identifying their checking account, and whose risk assessment falls within predetermined enrollment parameters. Moreover, the merchant computing system accepts those transactions which also fall within predetermined transaction parameters.

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.

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.