Patent ID: 7054838
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method of distributing an electronic cash card comprising the steps of: requesting a plurality of unfunded cash cards from a credit card provider by a purchase intermediary; receiving a list of account numbers for the plurality of unfunded cash cards from the credit card provider at the purchase intermediary; placing an order to manufacture the plurality of unfunded cash cards with a card manufacturer by the purchase intermediary using the list of account numbers; directing distribution of the plurality of unfunded cash cards from the card manufacture to a plurality of retail outlets; maintaining as association of which unfunded cash cards are sent to which retail outlets in a data file by executing a software-implemented application on a computing device prior to the purchase of the cash card, wherein the data file indicates that the card has not been funded; funding the cash card at a the retail outlet via a purchase of the cash card by a purchaser for a purchase price but without selection of an identifier of the purchaser by the purchaser of the cash card; updating the data file by executing a software-implemented application on a computing device with a value for the cash card substantially contemporaneously with funding of the cash card at the retail outlet; and activating the given cash card after said funding when the retail outlet to which the given cash card was funded matches the retail outlet to which the cash card was sent to by the card manufacturer as indicated by the data file.