Payment card fraud protection

Disclosed is a novel system and method for managing payment card fraud. More particularly, accessing information associated with at least one card holder after the card holder has physically passed through at least one security checkpoint in which the card holder's identity has been authenticated. Next at least one payment card identifier associated with the card holder is received. A payment card profile associated with the payment card is updated. In one example, information from a ticket is also used with the payment card identifier to manage the probability of rejection. Numerous embodiments are disclosed.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to managing payment cards, and more specifically to managing payment cards for card holders traveling to different geographic regions.

The use of payment cards has grown significantly in recent time. Payment cards are broadly defined to include credit cards, cash cards, pre-paid cards, secured cards, gift cards, automatic teller cards, bank cards, check cards, and any other type of non-cash payment. Along with this growth of payment cards, people are traveling more than ever. Domestic and international travel continues to increase year after year.

The confluence of these two trends, use of payment cards and increase travel makes it difficult for providers of payment cards to identify fraudulent transactions. In fact it is not usual for a card holder who uses payment cards, to have transactions denied because they arrive at a destination geography which is outside a region set by the provider of the payment card. It can be embarrassing, stressful, and frustrating for a card holder to have payment card denied for a financial transaction. Accordingly, a need exist to manage payment cards, especially for card holders that travel.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is a novel payment card fraud manger method and system. The payment card fraud manager assists with managing credit card transactions. The method begins with accessing information associated with a card holder or traveler after the card holder has physically passed through at least one security checkpoint in which the card holder's identify had been authenticated. The security checkpoint may be registered as an accepted checkpoint with a vendor service, or the checkpoint may be of a category that is recognized and accepted by a service. The security check point may be an aviation security checkpoint, a bus security checkpoint, a train security checkpoint, a ship security checkpoint, a stadium security checkpoint, a border crossing security checkpoint, or a combination thereof. The security checkpoint is any physical checkpoint in which the card holder is inspected and identification authenticated.

Security checkpoints require travelers to show identification in order to proceed. Therefore after the traveler/card holder has passed through the security checkpoint there is a high probability that card holder's identify has been authenticated. Photo identification and/or biometric identification is commonly used for authentication at security checkpoints. Common photo identification includes a passport, a driver's license, and a government issued identification card. Biometric identification includes retina scans and finger prints. After the security checkpoint, a payment card fraud manager system receives at least one payment card identifier associated with a card holder. The payment card information may be received using a swiped of a magnetic payment card in a card reader, a text message from the card holder, an optical recognition of a picture of a payment card taken by a smartphone of the card holder, a near field wireless communication of a smart-chip, or a combination thereof. For example, a card holder on an airline may swipe their card into a card reader on the plane. The information is transferred to the payment card fraud management system. The payment card profile associated with the payment card is updated. The payment card profile may be updated with a destination region or a time period or a combination of both. For example, a card holder going to a destination region may have their payment card profile updated for a period of time that corresponds to a date and time for a return ticket or for a time period corresponding to a specific event, e.g. a sporting event or concert. The updated payment card profile reduces the probability of rejection when the payment card is used to make a purchase in a destination region. For enhanced payment card fraud processing, the payment card fraud management system may use information from a ticket associated with the card holder, such as time, destination, return date, and more. Also, the telecommunication network associated with the ticket may be verified. For example, after a card holder goes through a security checkpoint to get on a cruise ship, the card holder uses a smartphone to take a picture of their credit cards. Picture processing including optical character recognition performed locally or in the cloud, to determine an identifier for the cards. The system also determines the destination of the cruise and the time to return from information associated with the ticket. Lastly, because the network address of the information is coming from the cruise ship or from the card holder's own telephone number, this increases the probability that the card holder is indeed on the cruise ship after passing through the security checkpoint.

In another example, advertisement is sent to the device of the card holder after sending payment card identifiers to the payment card fraud management system. The advertisements can be targeted for the destination, the duration, the user, and other factors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The claimed invention decreases the traditional hassles of payment card being denied at a remote location as a result of a credit-card company considering the card likely to be stolen because the destination city or country is not generally visited by the payment card holder and is not considered to be part of a known pattern of card use. It does so, in part, by leveraging existing identification and security measures in place due to security checkpoints for travel.

The term “authenticated” means confirming a user of a card holder has successfully physically pass-through security checkpoints after the user's identification has been authenticated. The authentication can be a requirement for travel on a public or private transportation network, attending an event at a stadium, or entering a country.

The term “authorization of payment card” means allowing a non-cash credit transaction for a given payment card.

The term “client device” is any device, such as a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, television, or other information processing device in which software and data can be processed.

The terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The term “destination region” means a defined portion of the world. A destination region could be any pre-defined geographic region including a country, a state, a postal code, a stadium, or an area defined by global position system (GPS) coordinates, in which payment card is authorized for use.

The term “card holder” or “traveler” or “spectator” is a person using a ticket to see a show or participated in an event or travel on a vehicle.

The term “payment card” is a card issued to a user as a system of payment. It includes credit cards, cash cards, pre-paid cards, secured cards, gift cards, automatic teller cards, bank cards, check cards, and any other type of non-cash payment.

The term “payment card identifier” means accessing a unique identifier associated with a payment card. Accessing the payment card identifier can be via a payment card reader, text message, optical recognition of a picture of a payment card, near field wireless communication, or a combination thereof.

The term “payment card profile” means a customizable configuration value to manage acceptable geographic regions, time periods, or a combination thereof of the payment card.

The term “security checkpoint” means a physical checkpoint where card holders are inspected and authenticated.

The term “ticket” means a physical piece of paper, or electronic record, such as an e-ticket, that allows a card holder or card holder to see a show or participated in an event, travel on a vehicle, etc.

The term “ticket collector” means a person, gate keeper, agent or system used verify a ticket to see a show or participated in an event, or travel on a vehicle.

The term “time period” means a duration, such as those measured in minutes, in which a payment card is authorized for use.

The term “ticket venue network address” means an identifier for a node, network interface of a telecommunications network, such as an IP address or MAC address or host of a plane, train, cruise ship or stadium for which the ticket is used.

Security Checkpoint

Referring toFIG. 1, shown is a typical security checkpoint100for an airline150. In order to pass through a security checkpoint, travelers must show an identification, typically photo identification, or biometric scans, in order to be authenticated. Once the traveler's identify has been authenticated, the traveler physically passes through security portal115to enter gate area112. The security portal115may include X-ray machines and metal detectors and other systems to protect passengers, staff and aircraft from accidental and malicious crimes ant threats. Many times in the US, these security portals115are managed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Once inside the gate area112, passengers wait for the boarding of the aircraft150. When boarding is called, passengers present their ticket to a ticket collector in order to board the aircraft150via portal113.

FIG. 2throughFIG. 4are examples of other security checkpoints for cruise ship, trains, and stadium respectively. More specifically,FIG. 2is an example security checkpoint200for a cruise ship250. In order to pass through a security checkpoint, travelers must show an identification, typically photo identification, or biometric scans, in order to be authenticated. Once the traveler's identify has been authenticated, the traveler physically passes through security portal215to enter boarding area212. The security portal215may include X-ray machines and metal detectors and other systems to protect passengers, staff and ships from accidental and malicious crimes ant threats. Once inside the boarding area212, passengers wait for the boarding of the cruise ship250. When boarding is called, passengers present their ticket to a ticket collector in order to board the cruise ship250via walkway213.

FIG. 3is a typical security checkpoint300for a train350. In order to pass through a security checkpoint, travelers must show an identification, typically photo identification, or biometric scans, in order to be authenticated. Once the traveler's identify has been authenticated, the traveler physically passes through security portal315to enter boarding area312. The security portal315may include X-ray machines and metal detectors and other systems to protect passengers, staff and trains from accidental and malicious crimes ant threats. Once inside the boarding area312, passengers wait to board the train350via walkway313.

FIG. 4is a typical security checkpoint400for a stadium450. In order to pass through a security checkpoint, spectators many times show an identification, typically photo identification, or biometric scans, in order to be authenticated. Once the participant or spectator's identify has been authenticated, the spectator physically passes through security portal415to enter boarding area412. The security portal415may include X-ray machines and metal detectors and other systems to protect spectators, staff and facilities from accidental and malicious crimes ant threats. Once inside the stadium area412, card holders wait to enter the stadium450. The spectators present their ticket to a ticket collector in order to enter the stadium450via walkway413.

FIG. 5is an example of a traveler502sitting on a seat504of an airplane or train500after passing through a security portal115or315as shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 3. In this example, the traveler502is a payment card holder. The traveler502is using a client device530to send to the payment card fraud manager an identifier associated with one or more payment cards. The card information in this example may be captured with a card reader, such as those available from Square Inc.

In one example, the payment card fraud manager also gathers information from a check-in system in which the traveler presented their ticket. Using the information from the ticket payment card combined with information received about the payment cards, the payment card fraud manager is able to adjust the payment card profiles associated with each payment card for the traveler. Continuing in this example, the payment card fraud manager updates the profile to include a destination authorization and a given time period based on information from the ticket. Note that in some examples, the ticket information may be any of: name of traveler, flight number, departure and destination locations, departure and destination times. It is important to note, that in other examples, the payment card fraud manager can prompt the user for this information without details about the ticket. This can be accomplished via email, text, interactive voice response and other technologies. Moreover, as an additional layer of protection, the network address of the venue, such as an IP address, associated with ticket for the plane, train, cruise ship, or stadium is used to further verify that the payment card holder is currently using the ticket.

An important component of the claimed invention is how the comparison of the payment card with travel information is automatically used for to manage risk by automatically changing the probability or rejection or acceptance of credit-card in a destination region. For example, when the payment card is used to make a purchase in a destination city. The fact that the payment card holder is actually on the airplane or related means of travel or in a stadium or other venue increase the odds of properly allowing transactions in a destination region. This approach decreases the traditional hassles of a payment card being denied at a remote location as a result of a payment card company considers it likely to be stolen because the destination region is not generally visited by the payment card holder and is not considered to be part of a pattern of known card use.

Moreover, the payment card fraud prevention system disclosed herein may be used to reduce illegal use of a card. For example, if a card, owned by a U.S. citizen, is being used in Paris and the card-holder from the U.S. did not register his/her card in the airplane, then the automated system disclosed herein will increase the probability of rejection in Paris. A payment card profile may be used to specify certain thresholds that are preferred to determine card rejection. For example, the payment card profile may explicit state that if the card is not registered on the plane, then it may not be used at any remote location. A trans-payment card vendor service may help manage this payment card profile for various different payment cards, which may have different criteria established by the payment card holder, payment card company, and more.

In addition, the airline may use payment card information stored during the use of the above method to facilitate onboard purchases. This could provide significant value, as a traveler's payment card swipe may be stored, and then a purchase made only with the touch of a button, or via an on screen menu. This would eliminate the time-consuming and cumbersome traditional swipe by the flight attendant his or herself. This method may also be coupled with a ground-based reservation system, such that a traveler's payment card information may be shared via an on screen menu during flight with ground transportation, hotels, and more.

In another example, advertisement is sent to the device530of the card holder/traveler502after sending payment card identifiers to the payment card fraud management system. The advertisements can be targeted for the destination, the duration of the visit, specific payment card users, and other factors. For example, if a certain number of travelers send their payment card identifiers within a specific timer period, then special coupons and advertisements are sent as an additional incentive to send their payment card identifiers to the payment card fraud management systems.

Note that the comparison operation performed in the airplane can be used for advertising purposes, such as the advertisement ofFIG. 9sent to the payment card holder's smartphone. Additionally, advertisements and coupons may be controlled by the number of people in an airplane sending in their payment card information to the payment card fraud manager within a threshold time T. For example, perhaps a company in a destination region may offer a greater discount if one hundred people send in their credit card information as compared to a situation in which only three people send in their credit card information. The nature of the advertisement may depend on other information gains at the time of comparison, such as: name of traveler, flight number, departure and destination location, departure time, and destination time. Also of potential use is the traveler information that may include codes associated with the ticket, such as: 1) first class, business class, economy class, 2) airline abbreviation (e.g. American Airlines), 3) child fare, one way, stopover, student, international, etc. In addition, because airline tickets include several codes the claimed invention may afford for automatic market analysis based on these codes e.g. travelers in groups, airline selection, ticketing code, first class, business class, and more.

Payment Card Fraud Manager

FIG. 6is an example functional block diagram of the major components of the payment card fraud manager600. Shown is a payment card fraud manager computer642that may be used to carry out the management of payment card fraud. The computer642is connected to network630, e.g., the Internet or a local area network630. Also shown communicatively coupled to the network630is a security checkpoint system602. This is shown as an optional connection612by the dashed/broken line. This connection612is optional in the circumstances in which agencies, such as government agencies, managing security checkpoints do not share information with third party systems, such as the payment card fraud manager642. A ticket collector/check-in point system604is communicatively coupled to network630via communication link614and payment card identifier system606via communication link616. A client device608, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer is also shown coupled to network630. The operating environments on the client devices may be Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, Google Android, Linux, or other operating systems.

The systems602,604,606,642,644and client device608may be directly or indirectly coupled to network630. For example, systems602,604,606,642,644and client device608could be directly coupled to network630via a hardwired network connection or wirelessly coupled to network630via wireless communication channel. Wireless communication can be an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, Wi-Fi, and/or more.

Also shown coupled to the network630via link654is a payment gateway system644that authorizes credit card payments for e-businesses, online retailers, bricks and clicks, or traditional brick and mortar. Although system payment card fraud manager642and payment gateway644are shown as separate systems, it is within the true scope of the presently claimed invention for these to be combined into one system.

Each system602,604,606,642,654may include, but are not limited to: a personal computer, a server computer, a series of server computers, a mini computer, and a mainframe computer. The system602,604,606,642,654may be a single server or a series of servers running a network operating system, examples of which may include but are not limited to Microsoft Windows Server or Linux. System602,604,606,642,654may execute a web server application, examples of which may include but are not limited to IBM Websphere or Apache Webserver™, that allows for HTTP (i.e., HyperText Transfer Protocol) access to other systems via network630. Moreover, network630may be connected to one or more secondary networks e.g., network630, examples of which may include but are not limited to: a local area network; a wide area network; or an intranet, for example.

Payment Card Profile

FIG. 7is an example a payment card profile700. As shown a column with a payment card identifier702uniquely identifies each payment card. The payment card user/traveler is identified in column704along with a destination region706, column708with a timer period and column710is a probability. Column710is a travel-information record for the purpose of automatically changing the probability of rejection or acceptance of payment card in a destination region. That is when the payment card is used to make a purchase in a destination region. In all these examples, the payment cards are set to “H” for high probability that the authenticated traveler is going to the destination region. For example in rows712and714CARD 1 and CARD 2 in which the payment card identifier has been received for TRAVELER A. The ticket is for a CITY M and the time period is 48 hours and the probability set to “H” for high that the authenticated traveler is going to the CITY M. In rows722,724, and726CARD 1, CARD 2, and CARD 3 in which the payment card identifier has been received for TRAVELER B. The ticket is for a COUNTRY C and the time period is 7 days and the probability set to “H” for high that the traveler is going to COUNTRY C. For example in rows732CARD 1 in which the payment card identifier has been received for TRAVELER C. The ticket is for a VENUE and the time period is 4 hours and the probability set to “H” for high that the authenticated traveler going to COUNTRY C. In rows742,744, CARD 1 and CARD 2 in which the payment card identifier has been received for TRAVELER D. The ticket is for a CITY-PORT OF CALL and the time period is 8 hours and the probability set to “H” for high that the authenticated traveler going to CITY-PORT OF CALL. As can be seen, each traveler has one or more payment card identifiers, along with destination region and a time period. Other information, such as information from a ticket such as: 1) first class, business, class, economy class; 2) airline abbreviation (e.g. American Airlines); 3) child fare, one way, stopover, student, international, and other codes found here at online URL (http://www.air-ticket.us/info/airline-ticket-abbreviation.php). Note in row746, there is a CARD 3 associated with TRAVELER C which has not been registered for CITY-PORT OF CALL. However, since the user did not send the identifier for this CARD 3, it is set to a low probability “L” of acceptance for a transaction in the destination region.

Flow Chart

FIG. 8is a flow chart of is a flow chart800of updating payment card profiles700by the payment card fraud manager642. The process begins in step802and immediately proceeds to step804in which information associated with traveler after the traveler has physically passed through a security checkpoint in which the traveler's identity has been authenticated is accessed. Next, in step806, one or more payment card identifiers associated with the traveler are received. As enhanced security, an optional test is made to see if the payment card information matches the ticket in step808. In the event the payment card information is different than the ticket information the process continues to step814, in which the probability of rejection in the traveler's profile is increased. This increase can be a scale such as 1-100 or just “High” and “Low” or some combination thereof. The process ends in step816. Otherwise, if the payment card information matches the ticket information in step808, the process continues to step810. Another optional enhanced security check can be made to determine if the payment card information is from a known network address associated with the venue i.e. airline, cruise ship, train, bus, stadium, the card holder's telephone or client device identifier, etc. In the event the information is from a known network address, the process continues to step812in which the travel profile700is updated to reduce the probability of rejection at the destination region and the process ends in step816. Stated differently, the payment card profile700for the card holder is set to low probability of rejection when the payment card is used to make a purchase in a destination region.

Information Processing System

Referring now toFIG. 10, this figure is a block diagram1000illustrating an information processing system that can be utilized in embodiments of the present invention for payment card fraud manager642or any of the systems602,604,606,644and client device608. The information processing system1002is based upon a suitably configured processing system configured to implement one or more embodiments of the presently claimed invention. Any suitably configured processing system can be used as the information processing system1002in embodiments of the present invention. The components of the information processing system1002can include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units1004, a system memory1006, and a bus1008that couples various system components including the system memory1006to the processor1004.

The information processing system1002can further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, a storage system1014can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-remov6able or removable, non-volatile media such as one or more solid state disks and/or magnetic media (typically called a “hard drive”). A magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to the bus1008by one or more data media interfaces. The memory1006can include at least one program product having a set of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of an embodiment of the present invention.

Program/utility1016, having a set of program modules1018, may be stored in memory1006by way of example, and not limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networking environment. Program modules1018generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the present invention.

The information processing system1002can also communicate with one or more external devices1020such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display1022, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the information processing system1002; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server1002to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via I/O interfaces1024. Still yet, the information processing system1002can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter1026. As depicted, the network adapter1026communicates with the other components of information processing system1002via the bus1008. Other hardware and/or software components can also be used in conjunction with the information processing system1002. Examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems.

Aspects of the present invention have been discussed above with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to various embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.