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 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 disclosed for assisting a check-cashing entity to efficiently and accurately locate relevant positive pay information or other reconcilement information regarding a check or other negotiable instrument that has been presented to a check-cashing entity in association with a request to cash, deposit, use as payment or other otherwise accept the check or negotiable instrument. In various embodiments, when a plurality of potentially useful sources of reconcilement information are identified for querying in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction, a decision regarding how many of the sources to query and/or how long to continue to query may be based at least in part on factors relating to the transaction, factors relating to characteristics of the information sources, and factors relating to preferences on the part of the check-cashing entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for assisting a check-cashing entity to efficiently and accurately locate relevant positive pay information or other reconcilement information regarding a check or other negotiable instrument that has been presented in association with a request to cash, deposit, use as payment or other otherwise accept the check or negotiable instrument. In various embodiments, when a plurality of potentially useful reconcilement information sources are selected for querying in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction from amongst a set of available reconcilement information sources, factors relating to the transaction, factors relating to characteristics of the information sources, and factors relating to preferences on the part of the check-cashing entity may be considered in order to select and prioritize the querying of information sources that are deemed likely to hold desired reconcilement information.

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 disclosed for assisting a check-cashing entity to efficiently and accurately locate relevant positive pay information or other reconcilement information regarding a check or other negotiable instrument that has been presented in association with a request to cash, deposit, use as payment or other otherwise accept the check or negotiable instrument. In various embodiments, when a plurality of potentially useful reconcilement information sources are selected for querying in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction from amongst a set of available reconcilement information sources, factors relating to the transaction, factors relating to characteristics of the information sources, and factors relating to preferences on the part of the check-cashing entity may be considered in order to select and prioritize the querying of information sources that are deemed likely to hold desired reconcilement information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described in connection with a financial trustworthiness assessment service that provides an assessment of an individual's financial trustworthiness that is not necessarily on credit bureau information. The financial trustworthiness assessment is based, at least in part, on transaction-level financial information associated with the individual, as well as on other data associated with the individual that may be financially-based or otherwise indicative, alone or in conjunction with other data, of financial trustworthiness. For example, the assessment may be based at least in part on information from one or more repositories of information, including, but not limited to a check authorization database, a demand deposit account database, a consumer credit rating database, public data (such as bankruptcy and marriage records), department of motor vehicle records, and other third party data sources.

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 disclosed for assisting a check-cashing entity to efficiently and accurately locate relevant positive pay information or other reconcilement information regarding a check or other negotiable instrument that has been presented in association with a request to cash, deposit, use as payment or other otherwise accept the check or negotiable instrument. In various embodiments, when a plurality of potentially useful reconcilement information sources are selected for querying in association with a proposed check-cashing transaction from amongst a set of available reconcilement information sources, factors relating to the transaction, factors relating to characteristics of the information sources, and factors relating to preferences on the part of the check-cashing entity may be considered in order to select and prioritize the querying of information sources that are deemed likely to hold desired reconcilement information.