Abstract: An electronic message containing reservation data is received. The reservation data of the electronic message is parsed with a computer processor to identify a planned future travel activity of a customer. An identifier associated with the customer and at least one attribute of the planned future travel activity are stored at a computer database. A request is received for an advertisement to be displayed to the customer. One or more of the attributes are retrieved from the database. An advertisement targeted to the customer is selected based on the retrieved attribute(s).

Abstract: Electronic transactions involving a subject merchant location are identified with a test transaction of a predetermined known amount, on a predetermined date, drawn upon a known account number. In the case of merchants having multiple transaction terminals in a given location, the process can be repeated for each transaction terminal. Once the test transaction is identified in either the clearing or authorization records, the merchant data string that make up the test transaction message can then be used to identify all transactions from each terminal of that merchant location. Accordingly, that merchant location's transactions are thereafter positively identifiable for any purpose.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium configured to enable investment-related risk behavior modeling of individuals based on their payment card purchases.

Abstract: Using payment card transaction data, residence locations are estimated for a plurality of payment card holders and recurrent destinations are estimated for at least a first portion of the plurality of payment card holders. A plurality of pooled transit pick-up points are identified in a geographic region of interest. Each of at least a second portion of the payment card holders are assigned to at least one of the pooled transit pick-up points.

Abstract: Presented are a method, system, and software product for transaction authentication via identification of a received telephone call. A telephone call is received from a potential payor requesting payment instrument transaction authorization. A determination is made via the telephone company of whether the telephone number was engaged in a call mode when the telephone call was received. If so, the transaction is allowed to proceed. Also presented are a method, system, and software product for authorization of transactions made via telephone. A payment instrument organization receives a request for transaction authorization containing a unique customer identifier of a customer attempting to complete a transaction via telephone. The associated telephone company is then contacted to determine whether the customer telephone number was engaged in an outbound call at the time the request for authorization of the transaction was received. If so, the transaction is approved.

Abstract: A method for associating a merchant account with violating activity includes: storing a plurality of merchant profiles, each profile including at least a merchant identifier; receiving a uniform resource locator or hyperlink captured from distributed electronic content that is identified as being in violation of a rule or regulation; navigating, via a browsing application program, to a webpage via the received uniform resource locator or hyperlink; initiating a payment transaction for the purchase of goods or services via the webpage; receiving an authorization request for the payment transaction, wherein the authorization request includes at least a merchant identification; transmit an authorization response in response to the received authorization request; identifying, in the database, a specific merchant profile where the included merchant identifier corresponds to the merchant identification; and indicating, in the database, the specific merchant profile as being in violation of the rule or regulation.

Abstract: A method and system of detecting anomalies in cash flow to and from a merchant includes receiving records from sources of cash flow to and records of deposits of cash flow from the merchant. The records of cash flow to the merchant are preferably provided from external sources independent of the merchant operations. Each record includes a merchant identifier associated with the merchant and a total amount of cash. The records of cash flow to and from the merchant are compared for anomalies and the merchant is flagged for further financial review in response to detecting an anomaly between the records of cash flow to the merchant and the records of cash flow from the merchant. The anomaly can be a discrepancy between the independent records of cash flow to the merchant and a revenue reported by the merchant.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a processing device, data representing a plurality of payment card transactions made in association with payment card accounts, the data including personally identifiable information; anonymizing, by a processing device, the data by hashing the personally identifiable information; determining, by a processing device, a plurality of the payment card accounts that belong to a same entity based on the hashed personally identifiable information without decoding the hashed personally identifiable information to recover the personally identifiable information; and identifying, by a processing device, the determined plurality of payment card accounts as belonging to the same entity.

Abstract: A method for identifying a trendsetting consumer includes: storing transaction entries, each entry including a consumer identifier, transaction date, and transaction characteristics each having a characteristic value; receiving two trend identifiers, each trend identifier including a trend date and transaction characteristic value and is associated with a specific trend; identifying a trending consumer where a first transaction entry includes a transaction date corresponding to the trend date and a transaction characteristics having a characteristic value corresponding to the transaction characteristic value of one of the two identified trends, a second transaction entry includes a transaction date corresponding to the trend date and a transaction characteristics having a characteristic value corresponding to the transaction characteristic value of another one of the two identified trends, and the first and second transaction entries include a common consumer identifier associated with the trending consumer;

Abstract: A method and system of determining a vehicle mileage tax associated with a consumer includes retrieving data associated with a plurality of transactions associated with a payment account of a consumer, the data including a merchant identifier, a location, and a date and time associated with each of the plurality of transactions. A total mileage traveled by a vehicle associated with the consumer is estimated based on the location, and the date and time associated with the plurality of transactions. A vehicle mileage tax is calculated based on the total mileage estimated for the vehicle associated with the consumer. Additional geotemporal information is provided by mobile devices linked to the payment account and is used to adjust the vehicle mileage estimated from payment transaction geotemporal data.

Abstract: A method of updating location information associated with a merchant in an electronic payment card network includes retrieving a plurality of payment transaction records associated with a merchant over a predetermined period of time. The plurality of payment transaction records are associated with a plurality of payment accounts, and include location data, including a country of issuance, associated with the payment card accounts. The location data associated with the plurality of payment accounts are aggregated. The merchant's location information is updated in payment transaction records and, optionally, in a central database of merchant location data, based on the aggregated location data associated with the plurality of payment accounts, for example, based on a country of issuance of a majority of the payment cards associated with the payment accounts.

Abstract: A system and method of aggregating merchant data from transaction data, including retrieving a transaction data set from a data warehouse. The transaction data set includes a merchant location identifier and the corresponding merchant's Doing Business As (DBA) name and address data. A data set is then formed from the transaction data, having merchant locations exhibiting at least a threshold level of common cardholder patronage. A metric is calculated related to the textual similarity between a merchant location's DBA name for each pair of merchant locations within the data set. Each pair of merchant locations having a metric related to the textual similarity between the merchant locations' DBA names that exceeds a predetermined threshold are aggregated with each other, where the merchant locations making up the pair do not share an address. The aggregation between merchant locations is recorded in the data warehouse.

Abstract: Records of geotemporal data for a plurality of users from a database associated with on-line and/or mobile cellular activities are used to generate a geotemporal fingerprint of a user. The geolocation history associated with the user's on-line and/or mobile cellular activities from one such database can be correlated with a user's geolocation data from a separate on-line database associated with a different activity. For example, the geolocation history or geotemporal fingerprints associated with on-line and/or mobile cellular activities from one particular database can be correlated with those associated with payment card usage. Such information can be used to authenticate a user, for example, as a security measure for payment card users and issuers, for registrationless credit security applications, and for gathering relevant data for advertising campaigns.

Abstract: A system, method, and software product are provided for fraud prevention in the field of payment instrument transactions without requiring registration. A computing device receives details of completed payment transactions. A number of recognition IDs are also received indicating locations of geolocation devices. A computing device then flags all received recognition IDs by deviceholder identification for a time period surrounding the completed payment transactions, and defines sets of flagged recognition IDs. The sets of flagged recognition IDs are then compared in generating candidate recognition IDs, which are associated with each payment instrument. Further iterations allow for limiting of the number of recognition IDs associated with each payment instrument.

Abstract: A method, system and machine-readable medium for aggregating merchant data from transaction data. The method includes retrieving a first data set from a data warehouse, the first data set including transaction data having a respective merchant location identifier. One or more acquiring institutions provides a data second set including merchant locations represented by the respective acquiring institution, each merchant location in the data set having an associated settlement account identifier. The first and second data sets are merged based upon common merchant locations, and merchant locations in the merged data sets having a common settlement account identifier are associated with each other.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for determining merchant locations. The method includes receiving transaction data and associated location data for transactions between at least one cardholder and at least one merchant, and calculating an average location. The location data associated with each transaction is related to a location of a cardholder of the at least one cardholder making the associated transaction. The calculation includes averaging location data associated with a threshold amount of transactions for one of the merchants. A location of the merchant is determined based on the calculated average location. The method is performed by at least one processing device.

Abstract: A system, method, and software product as provided for obtaining details on merchant data from customers purchasing goods or services at a merchant with a payment instrument. After customers make purchases at merchants, a server associated with a payment instrument network or payment issuing bank sends a message in the form of a signal to open an application, an SMS, an e-mail, an electronic bank statement, or other electronic means to the customer offering the customer the opportunity to provide details on merchant data on the merchant where the purchase was just made, including the name and address of the merchant where the purchase was just made. The customer may be offered various rewards for providing of details on merchant data, with more valuable prizes rewarded for hard-to-obtain details on merchant data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of processing updated payment cardholder personal data. The method includes receiving, by a at least one processing device, updated personal data associated with the payment cardholder; obtaining, by the at least one processing device, data identifying at least one payment system entity with which the payment cardholder has a transaction history; and transmitting, by the at least one processing device, notification of the payment cardholder's personal data update to the identified at least one payment system entity. The receiving, obtaining, and transmitting by the at least one processing device are performed independent of administration by an issuing bank that issued a payment card to a payment cardholder.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of maintaining continuity of transaction data associated with a merchant within a payment card network includes identifying new merchant IDs and associated new merchant information from a database, the new merchant IDs and associated new transactions generated after a predetermined timestamp; and identifying discontinued merchant IDs and associated discontinued merchant information from the database, the discontinued merchant IDs associated only with older transactions generated before the predetermined timestamp and thus appearing to have been discontinued after the predetermined timestamp.

Abstract: Repositories of apparel purchase data combined with payment card data can be used to determine accurate cardholder apparel sizes by examining their historical clothing purchases. Using these profiles to identify cardholders with similar figures, and their purchases to extrapolate what sizes to purchase in as yet unpurchased items. The present method can be implemented on an e-commerce platform or in brick & mortar locations, for example as a smartphone app with barcode scanner. Shopping becomes more efficient for cardholders, the retailer sees increased throughput, and returns for size are reduced. No effort by customer is needed.