Patent Publication Number: US-2016247132-A1

Title: Affiliated individual identification and account recoupment

Description:
FIELD 
     The embodiments discussed herein are related to affiliated individual identification and account recoupment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In some circumstances, an account holder of a financial account may allow the financial account to become delinquent. For example, the account holder may stop making monthly payments to the financial account. In these and other circumstances, a financial services institution that manages the financial account may attempt to collect or recoup outstanding amounts from the account holder and/or an individual affiliated with the account holder. Manual account recoupment may be difficult and costly. 
     The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Example embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example operating environment in which account recoupment may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example of affiliated individual identification that may be implemented in the operating environment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example of account recoupment process that may be implemented in the operating environment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example computing system configured for account recoupment; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an example method of account recoupment; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of another example method of account recoupment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Some embodiments described herein relate to affiliated individual identification and account recoupment. Generally, in some embodiments, one or more individuals are identified from affiliations between the individuals and an account holder. The individuals identified as being affiliated with the account holder may be referred to as affiliated individuals in the present disclosure. After the affiliated individuals are identified, they are asked whether they are willing to make a payment to a delinquent account of the account holder. The payment may be applied to the delinquent account. Thus, the affiliated individuals may make payments to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder. 
     The affiliated individuals may be identified from a myriad of interactions between the affiliated individuals and the account holder. For example, interactions via social media, financial transactions, contact lists in an account holder device that is associated with the account holder, similar location patterns between the affiliated individual and the account holder, or some combination thereof may be used to identify the affiliated individuals. The interactions may be identified using application program interface (API) calls, a web crawler, or any other applicable data surveying or requesting operation. 
     In an example embodiment, a method includes identifying a delinquent account from multiple accounts managed by a financial services institution. The delinquent account is held by an account holder. The method includes accessing data pertaining to social networking activity of the account holder and reviewing the data pertaining to social network activity to identify an individual who is affiliated with the account holder. The method includes transmitting, to a social media account of the affiliated individual, a payment solicitation that requests the affiliated individual make a payment to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder. The method includes receiving a payment message that authorizes a payment to the delinquent account and applying the payment to the delinquent account. 
     In another example embodiment, a method includes accessing a social media account of an account holder of a financial account. The method includes scanning the social media account of the account holder for social media activity illustrative of an affiliation between an individual and the account holder. In response to the account becoming delinquent, the method includes communicating a solicitation message to an affiliated individual. The solicitation message may request the affiliated individual to make a payment to the financial account of the account holder. The method includes receiving a payment message that authorizes a payment from a financial account of the affiliated individual to the financial account of the account holder. In response to reception of the payment message, the method includes applying the payment to the delinquent account. 
     Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example operating environment  100  in which account recoupment may be implemented, according to at least one embodiment. In the operating environment  100 , an account holder  102  may hold one of multiple financial accounts  144 , which may be managed by a financial services institution  129 . A system server  124  may support and perform automated or semi-automated recoupment of outstanding or delinquent payments to the financial account  144  of the account holder  102 . 
     For instance, a recoup module  118  may identify one or more individuals  116 A and  116 B (generally, individual  116  or individuals  116 ) who may have an affiliation with the account holder  102 . Instead of, or in addition to recoupment efforts directed at the account holder  102 , the recoup module  118  may communicate a solicitation message to the individuals  116  identified as having an affiliation with the account holder  102 . The solicitation message may request that the individuals  116  make a payment to the financial account  144  of the account holder  102  on behalf of the account holder  102 . 
     The operating environment  100  of  FIG. 1  may include trusted devices  104 A and  104 B (generally, trusted device  104  or trusted devices  104 ), an account holder device  110 , a social media server  126 , a vendor server  130 , a financial server  128 , the system server  124 , and a communication network  122 . The trusted devices  104 , the account holder device  110 , the system server  124 , the social media server  126 , the vendor server  130 , and the financial server  128  (collectively, environment components) may communicate information and data via the communication network  122 . For example, one or more of the environment components may communicate information and data related to account recoupment. The environment components are briefly described in the following paragraphs. 
     The communication network  122  may include a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination thereof. The communication network  122  may include any suitable configuration or configurations including a star configuration, token ring configuration, or other configurations. The communication network  122  may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), and/or other interconnected data paths across which multiple devices may communicate. In some embodiments, the communication network  122  may include a peer-to-peer network. The communication network  122  may also be coupled to or include portions of a telecommunications network that may enable communication of data in a variety of different communication protocols. In some embodiments, the communication network  122  includes BLUETOOTH® communication networks and/or cellular communication networks for sending and receiving data including via short messaging service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), direct data connection, wireless application protocol (WAP), e-mail, and the like. 
     The vendor server  130  may include a hardware server that includes a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. The vendor server  130  may be configured for communication with one or more other environment components via the communication network  122 . 
     The vendor  140  may include any entity that may be engaged in some economic activity such as offering for sale goods or services. In some embodiments, the vendor  140  may include a merchant, a landlord, a service-providing entity, etc. The vendor server  130  may be associated with a vendor  140 . For example, an association between the vendor server  130  and the vendor  140  may include enabling or facilitating economic activities of the vendor  140  via the vendor server  130 , storage of records of financial transactions of the vendor  140  at the vendor server  130 , enabling access to records of financial transactions of the vendor  140  via the vendor server  130 , hosting by the vendor server  130  a website of the vendor  140 , general ownership or operation of the vendor server  130  by the vendor  140 , and communicating information and data by the vendor  140  via the vendor server  130  to and from other environment components. 
     In some embodiments, the account holder  102  and the individuals  116  may execute a financial transaction with the vendor  140 . The financial transactions may be executed via the vendor server  130  in some instances. Additionally, a record of the financial transaction with the vendor  140  may be stored on or accessed via the vendor server  130 . The record of the financial transition may include, for example, a credit card used in the transaction, a link from which the account holder  102  or the individuals  116  are directed to the vendor server  130 , a network address of the account holder  102  or the individual  116 , and other information related to the financial transaction. 
     The financial server  128  may include a hardware server that includes a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. The financial server  128  may be configured for communication with one or more other environment components via the communication network  122 . 
     The financial server  128  may enable and/or facilitate financial transactions by the account holder  102  and the individuals  116 . The financial transactions may be executed with the vendor  140  and between the account holder  102  and the individuals  116 . The financial server  128  may include information related to the financial accounts  144 , which may be managed by the financial services institution  129 . One or more of the financial accounts  144  may be held by the account holder  102 , the individuals  116 , and the vendor  140 . In some embodiments, the financial server  128  may enable transfers of funds between the financial accounts  144  or to accounts managed by other institutions (e.g., banks) that may be held by the account holder  102 , the individuals  116 , and/or the vendor  140 . For example, to purchase a good from the vendor  140 , the account holder  102  may transfer funds from one of the financial accounts  144  held by the account holder  102  to another of the financial accounts  144  held by the vendor  140 . Similarly, to pay a first individual  116 A, the account holder  102  may transfer funds from one of the financial accounts  144  held by the account holder  102  to another of the financial accounts  144  held by the first individual  116 A. 
     The financial server  128  may include transaction records  146 . The transaction records  146  may record information related to financial transactions. For example, the record information may include parties (e.g., the vendor  140 , the account holder  102 , the individuals  116 ) involved in a transaction, a date of a transaction, an amount of funds transferred in a transaction, the financial accounts  144  involved in a transaction, other accounts linked to the financial accounts  144  involved in a transaction, credit cards used, transaction date, other transaction details, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments the transaction records  146  or some subset of the information contained therein may be accessed via the financial server  128 . 
     The social media server  126  may include a hardware server that includes a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. In the illustrated implementation, the social media server  126  is configured to communicate via the communication network  122  with the other environment components. 
     The social media server  126  may be configured to support a social network. The social network may include a social structure in which the account holder  102 , the individuals  116 , the vendor  140 , the financial services institution  129  and/or multiple other entities may be connected by a common feature. The common feature may include relationships or connections such as friendship, family, work, an interest, and the like. The common features may be provided by the social media server  126 . For example, the social media server  126  may be configured to provide explicitly defined relationships and relationships implied by social connections between online users. The relationships and/or the common features may form a social graph in the social network. In some examples, the social graph may reflect a mapping of the online users and how they may be related. 
     The social network may enable or provide interfaces that enable various social network activities. For example, the social network may provide a data feed for one or more users (e.g., the account holder  102  and/or the individuals  116 ) of the social network in which one or more of the users may post messages or media, the social network may enable individuals to be tagged in photographs and videos posted on the social network, and the social network may provide an invitation interface in which the users may collectively or individually invite other users to calendar events and receive RSVPs to the calendar events. 
     In addition, the social network may provide payment features that may enable the users to submit payments via the social network. In some embodiments, the social media server  126  may interface with the financial server  128  and/or the vendor server  130  to enable execution of financial transactions from the social network. 
     The social media server  126  may be responsive to data requests such as application programming interface (API) calls. The data requests may request data related to one of the users and the social network activities associated with the corresponding user. 
     The trusted devices  104  and the account holder device  110  may include computing devices that may include a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. The trusted devices  104  and the account holder device  110  may be configured for communication with one or more other environment components via the communication network  122 . Some examples of the trusted devices  104  and the account holder device  110  include a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), a mobile e-mail device, a portable game player, a portable music player, smart wearable technology, or any other applicable electronic device capable of accessing the communication network  122 . 
     The trusted devices  104  may be associated with one or more of the individuals  116 . An association between the trusted devices  104  and the individuals  116  may include ownership or regular operation of the trusted devices  104  by the individuals  116 . For example, a message communicated to the trusted device  104  may be intended for one of the individuals  116 . 
     Similar to the association of the trusted devices  104  with respect to the individuals  116 , the account holder device  110  may be associated with the account holder  102 . An association between the account holder device  110  and the account holder  102  may include ownership or regular operation of the account holder device  110  by the account holder  102 . For example, a message communicated to the account holder device  110  may be intended for the account holder  102 . 
     The system server  124  may include a hardware server that includes a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. In the illustrated implementation, the system server  124  is configured to communicate via the communication network  122  with the other environment components. 
     The system server  124  may include the recoup module  118 . The recoup module  118  may include code and routines for account recoupment. Additionally or alternatively, the recoup module  118  may be implemented using hardware including a processor, a microprocessor (e.g., to perform or control performance of one or more operations), a FPGA, or an ASIC. In some other instances, the recoup module  118  may be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. 
     The individuals  116  that are associated with the trusted devices  104  may be affiliated with the account holder  102 . As used herein an affiliation between the individuals  116  and the account holder  102  may include a financial affiliation, a geographic affiliation, an employee/employer affiliation, a familial affiliation, a friendship, and the like. Because the affiliation between the individuals  116  and the account holder  102 , the individuals  116  may be more likely to make a payment to the financial account  144  held by the account holder  102 . For example, the individuals  116  with a familial affiliation with the account holder  102  may make a payment to a delinquent account of the account holder  102  on behalf of the account holder  102 . 
     In some embodiments, the recoup module  118  may identify multiple individuals  116  who are affiliated with the account holder  102 . Solicitation messages may be communicated to each or both of the individuals  116 . The recoup module  118  may start by sending a solicitation message to one of the individuals  116  having a particular type of affiliation with the account holder  102  and may later send a solicitation message to another of the individuals  116  having a second particular type of affiliation. For example, the first individual  116 A may be a family member and a second individual  116 B may include a friend. The recoup module  118  may first communicate solicitation messages to the first individual  116 A. In some embodiments, the recoup module  118  may determine to whom to communicate solicitation messages based on economic factors, historical payments, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, the recoup module  118  may identify a delinquent account from the financial accounts  144  that is held by the account holder  102 . The delinquent account may include a financial account for which the account holder  102  has stopped paying. The recoup module  118  may identify one or more of the individuals  116  that is affiliated with the account holder  102 . The recoup module  118  may communicate a solicitation message. The solicitation message that requests the affiliated individual  116  make a payment to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder  102 . The recoup module  118  may receive a payment message. The payment message may authorize a payment to the delinquent account. The recoup module  118  may apply the payment to the delinquent account. 
     Account recoupment performed by the recoup module  118  may include one or more sub-operations. In some embodiments, account recoupment may include interaction and communication with the social media server  126 . For example, the recoup module  118  may access data pertaining to social networking activity of the account holder  102  and/or a social media account from the social media server  126 . The recoup module  118  may review the data pertaining to social network activity to identify one or more of the individuals  116  who are affiliated with the account holder  102 . Additionally, the recoup module  118  may scan the social media account of the account holder  102  for social media activity illustrative of an affiliation between one or more of the individuals  116  and the account holder  102 . The recoup module  118  may transmit a solicitation message to a social media account of the individual  116 . 
     In the depicted embodiment the recoup module  118  is included in the system server  124 . In some embodiments, the recoup module  118  and/or one or more of the operations attributed herein to the recoup module  118  may be performed by the account holder device  110 , a financial server  128 , or a component included therein. 
     In the operating environment  100 , memory in one or more of the environment components may be similar to memory  406  described with reference to  FIG. 4 , processors in one or more of the environment components may be similar to a processor  404  described with reference to  FIG. 4 , and network communication capabilities of one or more of the environment components may be provided by a communication unit  402  described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the operating environment  100  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Specifically, embodiments depicted in  FIG. 1  include two trusted devices  104  associated with two individuals  116 , one account holder device  110  associated with one account holder  102 , one system server  124 , one financial server  128 , one vendor server  130 , and one social media server  126 . The present disclosure may apply to operating environments that may include one or more trusted devices  104  associated with one or more individuals  116 , one or more user devices  110  associated with one or more users  102 , one or more system servers  124 , one or more financial servers  128 , one or more vendor servers  130 , one or more social media servers  126 , or some combination thereof. 
     Moreover, the separation of various components in the embodiments described herein is not meant to indicate that the separation occurs in all embodiments. It may be understood with the benefit of this disclosure that the described components may be integrated together in a single component or separated into multiple components. For example, in some embodiments the system server  124  and the financial server  128  may be a single server. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of affiliated individual identification  200  that may be implemented in the operating environment  100  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  includes the social media server  126 , the vendor server  130 , the financial server  128 , the account holder device  110 , the account holder  102 , the individual  116 , and the system server  124  of  FIG. 1 . Although,  FIG. 2  illustrates only one individual  116  and one trusted device  104 , embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to one individual  116  and/or one trusted device  104 . While the communication network  122  is omitted from  FIG. 2 , it may be understood with the benefit of this disclosure that communication between the social media server  126 , the vendor server  130 , the financial server  128 , and the trusted device  104 , the account holder device  110 , and the system server  124  may be via the communication network  122  of  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the recoup module  118  includes an affiliation module  202  and a payment module  204 . The affiliation module  202  may perform one or more operations of the affiliated individual identification. The payment module  204  may perform one or more operations of account recoupment, some details of which are provided with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     Generally, the affiliated individual identification may be based on data  250  that indicates an affiliation between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . Thus, the affiliation module  202  may access and/or request the data  250  and receive the data  250 . The affiliation module  202  may further determine, based on the data  250 , whether an affiliation exists between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . For example, the affiliation module  202  may include one or more data thresholds, above which an affiliation is deemed to exist. 
     In the depicted operating environment  100 , the affiliated individual identification may be based on data  250  pertaining to social network activity of the account holder  102 , financial transactions executed by the individual  116  and executed by the account holder  102  at a common vendor (e.g., the vendor  140  of  FIG. 1 ), a pattern of common device locations, a contact list  208  of the account holder device  110 , a request received from the account holder  102 , a communication history  212  of the account holder device  110 , any other data  250  that may indicate an affiliation between the account holder  102  and the individual  116 , or some combination thereof. 
     Accordingly, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to access and/or request the data  250  indicative of an affiliation between the individual  116  and the account holder  102  from the account holder device  110 , the social media server  126 , the vendor server  130 , the financial server  128 , or some combination thereof. In  FIG. 2 , the access and/or requests are represented by requests  252 . Additionally, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to receive the data  250  (e.g., the contact list  208 ) from the account holder device  110 , the social media server  126 , the vendor server  130 , the financial server  128 , or some combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to generate and communicate the requests  252 . The requests may include application programming interface (API) calls. The API calls may include a get subroutine configured to retrieve the data  250 . For example, the affiliation module  202  may communicate an API call to the social media server  126 . The API call may include a get subroutine that is configured to retrieve data  250  pertaining to social network activity that is illustrative of the affiliation between the account holder  102  and the individual  116 . Additionally or alternatively, the affiliation module  202  may employ a web crawler, another data gathering application, or communicate a petition message to access or request the data  250 . The data  250  may include a list of information responsive to the request  252 . Additionally or alternately, the data  250  may include cookies or a user handle of the account holder  102  or the individual  116 . 
     The affiliation module  202  may identify affiliated individuals based on social media activities. To identify the affiliated individuals based on the social media activities, the affiliation module  202  may first find one or more social media accounts of the account holder  102 . 
     In some embodiments, the affiliation module  202  may read a network address of the account holder  102 . The network address may be read from the financial account  144  of the account holder  102  in some embodiments. For example, the network address may be provided by the account holder  102  for communication with the financial services institution  129 . 
     The network address may be used to access a social media account of the account holder  102  hosted or supported by the social media server  126 . For instance, the network address may include an email address of the account holder  102 . The email address may include a user handle that is used on a social network. Accordingly, the affiliation module  202  may extract the user handle or some variation thereof from the email address and search for a social media account of the account holder  102  based thereon. Additionally, the email address may be used in the social network and the affiliation module  202  may search the social media server  126  for the email address. 
     Additionally or alternatively, to find the social media account of the account holder  102 , the affiliation module  202  may parse data pertaining to executed financial transactions. For example, the affiliation module  202  may access transaction records  146  of the financial server  128  or of the vender server  130 . The financial transactions may be draw from the financial account of the account holder  102 . From the transaction records  146 , the affiliation module  202  may trace a social media account from which an execution financial transaction originated. 
     For example, a purchase may be made by the account holder  102  at an online retailer such as eBay®. The purchase may have originated at a link posted to a network address or to a social media account. The affiliation module  202  may analyze data  250  pertaining to the purchase such as cookies or a browser history of the account holder device  110  to find the social media account on which the link was posted or the network address to which the link was communicated. The affiliation module  202  may ascertain that the social media account on which the link was posted is the social media account of the account holder  102 . Additionally, the affiliation module  202  may ascertain that the network address to which the link was communicated is the network address of the account holder  102 . The affiliation module  202  may then search for social media accounts based on the network address or derivatives or variations thereof. 
     After the affiliation module  202  finds the social media account of the account holder  102 , the affiliation module  202  may request the data  250  pertaining to social media activity of the account holder  102  from the social media server  126 . The affiliation module  202  may utilize API calls or may access and search a social media account of the account holder  102 . The affiliation module  202  may review the data pertaining to social network activity to determine whether there is an affiliation between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . 
     Some examples of the data  250  pertaining to social network activity may include photographs and videos in which the account holder  102  and the individual  116  are tagged, posts to data feeds of the individual  116  by the account holder  102 , posts to a data feed of the individual  116  by the account holder  102 , RSVPs to common calendar events by the account holder  102  and the individual  116 , and a relationship status (e.g., a friend) of the individual  116  with relation to the account holder  102 . 
     The affiliation module  202  may identify affiliated individuals based on social media activity of the account holder  102 . The affiliation module  202  may determine whether an affiliation exists between the individual  116  and the account holder  102  based on a number of photographs or videos in which the account holder  102  and the individual  116  are tagged, a frequency and/or number of posts to a data feed of the individual  116  by the account holder  102 , a frequency and/or number of posts to a data feed of the account holder  102  by the individual  116 , a frequency and/or number of RSVPs to common calendar events by the account holder  102  and the individual  116 , a relationship status of the individual  116  with relation to the account holder  102 , or some combination thereof. For example, if the individual  116  has a relationship status as being a friend with the account holder  102  and the individual  116  and the account holder  102  have RSVP&#39;d to a threshold number (e.g., five) events in a particular area, the affiliation module  202  may determine an affiliation exists between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . Moreover, the affiliation module  202  may determine that the type of affiliation is a social friendship with the individual  116  and the account holder  102  socializing in a particular geographic area. 
     Additionally, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to identify affiliated individuals based on the contact list  208  and/or the communication history  212 . For instance, the affiliation module  202  may obtain the contact list  208  and/or the communication history  212  from the account holder device  110 . In some embodiments, the affiliation module  202  may request access to the contact list  208  and/or the communication history  212 . In some embodiments, the account holder  102  may communicate the contact list  208  and/or the communication history  212  to the system server  124 . A presence of the individual  116  in the contact list  208  may be indicative of an affiliation between the account holder  102  and the individual  116 . 
     The communication history  212  may include data  250  pertaining to the communication history  212  that may be indicative of an affiliation between the account holder  102  and the individual  116 . For example, the data  250  pertaining to the communication history  212  may include a history of telephone calls, emails, text messages, and media communications between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . A determination of whether an affiliation exists between the individual  116  and the account holder  102  may be based on a number and/or frequency of telephone calls, emails, text messages, and media communications between the individual  116  and the account holder  102 . 
     The affiliation module  202  may be configured to identify affiliated individuals based on the data  250  pertaining to financial transactions. For instance, the affiliation module  202  may access or request the transaction records  146  from the financial server  128  and/or the vendor server  130 . The affiliation module  202  may parse the transaction records  146  for transactions between the individual  116  and the account holder  102  and/or transactions involving the individual  116  and a vendor and the account holder  102  and the vendor. Based on the data  250  pertaining to financial transactions, the affiliation module  202  may determine whether an affiliation exists. 
     Additionally, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to identify affiliated individuals based on device locations and/or patterns of device locations. The device locations may be provided by a location module  206 . In  FIG. 2 , the trusted device  104  and the account holder device  110  include the location module  206 . The location module  206  may include a global positioning signal (GPS) receiver or network multilateration capabilities. The location module  206  may communicate a device location to the system server  124  and/or the location module  206  may communicate the device location to the social media server  126 . The device location may be posted in a data feed of a social network. The affiliation module  202  may retrieve the location data and create a pattern of device location data based on the device locations. The affiliation module  202  may then determine that an affiliation exists between the account holder  102  and the individual  116  based on commonalities between or overlap of the patterns of device location data. For example, the affiliation module  202  may determine whether an overlap of the device location pattern of the trusted device  104  and the device location pattern of the account holder device  110  is greater than a particular threshold. If the overlap is greater than the particular threshold, the affiliation module  202  may conclude that an affiliation exists. 
     In some embodiments, the affiliation module  202  may be configured to communicate an API call to the social media server  126 . The API call may include a get subroutine that is configured to obtain location data of the trusted device  104  associated with the individual  116  and/or location data of the account holder device  100 . The affiliation module  202  may then create the pattern of device location data from the location data obtained from the social media server  126 . 
     Additionally, in some embodiments, the affiliation module  202  may offer an incentive in exchange for identification of an affiliated individual. For instance, during execution of a financial transaction with the financial services institution, the affiliation module  202  may request identification of an affiliated individual from the account holder  102 . 
     The affiliation module  202  may make such affiliated individual identification request in a subset of transactions. For example, the affiliation module  202  may make the affiliated individual identification request when a transaction involves an extension of credit by the financial services institution for execution of the financial transaction and/or a monetary amount above a particular amount (e.g., $5000). Additionally or alternatively, the affiliation module  202  may make the affiliated individual identification request when the account holder  102  has a poor payment history. 
     After the individual  116  is identified as being affiliated with the account holder  102 , the affiliation module  202  may retrieve a network address of the affiliated individual  116 . In some embodiments, the network address of the affiliated individual  116  may be retrieved from the social media activity or network address included in a transaction record  146 . 
     The network address of the affiliated individual  116  may be compared to the financial accounts  144  managed by a financial services institution. From the financial accounts  144  one or more other network addresses of the affiliated individual may be read. Accordingly, the affiliation module  202  may determine one or more network addresses to which the payment module  204  may communicate a solicitation message. Additionally, from the one or more network addresses of the individual  116 , the affiliation module may access a social media account of the individual  116  hosted or supported on the social media server  126 . 
     In embodiments in which one or more operations attributed herein to the recoup module  118  are performed by the user module  108 , messages  254  may be communicated between the trusted device  104  and the user module  108 . Additionally, some portion of the data  250  and/or requests  252  may be communicated with the user module  108 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of account recoupment process  300  that may be implemented in the operating environment  100  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  includes the social media server  126 , the trusted device  104 , the system server  124 , and the financial server  128  of  FIG. 1 . In general, the payment module  204  of the recoup module  118  may be configured for account recoupment. 
     In some embodiments, to initiate an account recoupment, the payment module  204  may identify a delinquent account from the financial accounts  144 . The delinquent account may include one of the financial accounts  144  discussed with reference to  FIG. 1  that is held by the account holder  102  of  FIG. 1 . Delinquency of the account may include a failure to make a payment, a failure to make a payment during a period of time, a failure to make a series or particular number of payments, a balance owed above for a particular period, and the like. For example, the payment module  204  may identify a delinquent account when an account holder fails to make a payment in three consecutive months. 
     In these and other embodiments, in response to the identification of the delinquent account, the payment module  204  may communicate a solicitation message (in  FIG. 3 , “solicitation  302 ”). The solicitation message  302  may include a request for an affiliated individual  116  make a payment to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder. 
     The solicitation message  302  may include a simple message explaining that an account is delinquent and a request for payment. The solicitation message  302  may include a link to a webpage or webpage information where a payment may be made. 
     Additionally or alternatively, the solicitation message  302  may include an event-related message such as a holiday-related message or birthday-related message. The event related message may include a request that the payment is made as a gesture related to the event. For example, on a birthday of the account holder, the solicitation message  302  may include a notification of a date of the birthday of the account holder along with a suggested gift of making a payment to the delinquent account. 
     The solicitation message  302  may also include an exchange with the affiliated individual  116 . For example, the solicitation message  302  may include an offer to make a payment to the delinquent account in exchange for the affiliated individual  116  viewing an advertisement. 
     Additionally, the solicitation message  302  may include an offer to divide a payment between the delinquent account and another account held by the affiliated individual  116 . For example, the solicitation message  302  may request the affiliated individual  116  to authorize a payment. The payment module  204  may apply a first portion of the payment to the delinquent account and may apply a second portion of the payment to an account held by the affiliated individual  116 . 
     The solicitation message  302  may be communicated to the social media server  126  and/or the trusted device  104 . For example, communicating the solicitation message may include sending the solicitation message  302  to a network address such as an email address or a phone number of the affiliated individual  116 . Accordingly, the solicitation message may include a phone call, a text message (SMS or MMS), an email, and the like. The solicitation message  302  may be displayed on or otherwise presented to the affiliated individual  116  via a user interface of the trusted device  104 . 
     In some embodiments, the solicitation message  302  may be transmitted to a social media account of the affiliated individual  116 . For example, the solicitation message  302  may be posted in a data feed of the affiliated individual  116  or in a messaging account of the affiliated individual  116 . 
     In response to the solicitation message  302 , the affiliated individual  116  may decide to make a payment to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder. Accordingly, the affiliated individual  116  may communicate a payment message  304  (in  FIG. 3 , “message  304 ”). The payment message  304  may be received by the payment module  204  or the system server  124 . The payment message  304  may generally authorize a payment to the delinquent account. 
     The payment message  304  may depend on the solicitation message  302 . For example, if the solicitation message  302  includes a link to a payment webpage, then the payment message  304  may include the affiliated individual  116  following a link directing the affiliated individual  116  to a payment webpage and completing a digital payment authorization form. Additionally or alternatively, if the solicitation message  302  includes a payment in exchange for viewing an advertisement, then the payment message  304  may include a selection by the affiliated individual  116  to view the advertisement. Additionally or alternatively, if the solicitation message  302  includes an event-related message, then the payment message  304  may include sending a gift to the account holder. 
     In embodiments in which the solicitation message  302  is communicated to the social media account of the affiliated individual  116 , the payment message  304  may include communication of payment authorization information via the social media account of the affiliated individual  116 . 
     The payment module  204  may receive the payment message  304 . The payment module  204  may then apply a payment  306  to the delinquent account. In some embodiments, the payment module  204  may communicate a message to the financial server  128  to transfer the payment  306  from one of the financial accounts  144  held by the affiliated individual  116  to the delinquent account held by the account holder. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example computing device  400 . The computing device  400  may be configured for account recoupment, arranged in accordance with at least one embodiment described herein. The computing device  400  may include one or more processors  404 , a memory  406 , a data storage  408  that includes a recoup module  412 , a communication unit  402 , and a user interface  414 . An example of the computing device  400  may include the system server  124  discussed elsewhere herein. Accordingly, the recoup module  118  discussed elsewhere herein or some portions thereof and may be configured to perform one or more operations attributed thereto. 
     The processor  404  may include any suitable special-purpose or general-purpose computer, computing entity, or processing device including various computer hardware or software modules and may be configured to execute instructions stored on any applicable computer-readable storage media. For example, the processor  404  may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a FPGA, or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and/or to execute program instructions and/or to process data. Although illustrated as a single processor in  FIG. 4 , it is understood that the processor  404  may include any number of processors configured to perform individually or collectively any number of operations described herein. Additionally, one or more of the processors  404  may be present on one or more different electronic devices. In some embodiments, the processor  404  may interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data stored in the memory  406 , the data storage  408 , or the memory  406  and the data storage  408 . In some embodiments, the processor  404  may fetch program instructions from the data storage  408  and load the program instructions in the memory  406 . After the program instructions are loaded into memory  406 , the processor  404  may execute the program instructions. 
     The memory  406  and data storage  408  may include computer-readable storage media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable storage media may include any available media that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, such as the processor  404 . By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include tangible or non-transitory computer-readable storage media including Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory devices (e.g., solid state memory devices), or any other storage medium which may be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. Combinations of the above may also be included within the scope of computer-readable storage media. Computer-executable instructions may include, for example, instructions and data configured to cause the processor  404  to perform a certain operation or group of operations. 
     The communication unit  402  may include one or more pieces of hardware configured to receive and send communications. In some embodiments, the communication unit  402  may include one or more of: an antenna, a wired port, and modulation/demodulation hardware, among other communication hardware devices. In particular, the communication unit  402  may be configured to receive a communication from outside the device  400  and to present the communication to the processor  404  for account recoupment or to send a communication from the processor  404  to another device or network. 
     The user interface  414  may include one or more pieces of hardware configured to notify a user of the device  400  of a communication, present a communication to a user, or to notify a user of a communication and present the communication to the user. In some embodiments, the user interface may include one or more of: a speaker, a microphone, a display, a keyboard, and a touch screen, among other hardware devices. In these and other embodiments, the user interface  414  may also be configured to receive input from a user of the device  400 . 
     The recoup module  412  may include program instructions stored in the data storage  408 . The processor  404  may be configured to load the recoup module  412  into the memory  406  and execute the recoup module  412 . When executing the recoup module  412 , the processor  404  may be configured to perform operations of account recoupment as described elsewhere herein. 
     In view of this disclosure, it will be appreciated that modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the device  400  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the device  400  may not include the user interface  414 . In some embodiments, the different components of the device  400  may be physically separate may be communicatively coupled via any suitable mechanism. For example, the data storage  408  may be part of a storage device that is separate from a server, which includes the processor  404 , the memory  406 , and the communication unit  402 , that is communicatively coupled to the storage device. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an example method  500  of account recoupment, which may be arranged in accordance with at least one embodiment described herein. The method  500  may be implemented, in some embodiments, by a computing device or computing system, such as the system server  124  discussed herein or the computing device  400  discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, the system server  124  or the computing device  400  may include or may be communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., the data storage  408  or memory  406  of  FIG. 4 ) having stored thereon programming code or instructions (e.g., the recoup module  412  of  FIG. 4 ) that are executable by a processor (such as the processor  404  of  FIG. 4 ) to cause the system server  124  or the computing device  400  to perform the method  500 . Additionally or alternatively, the system server  124  or the computing device  400  may include the processor  404  described above that is configured to execute computer instructions to cause the system server  124  or the computing device  400  or another computing device to perform the method  500 . Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation. 
     The method  500  may begin at block  502 . At block  502 , a delinquent account may be identified from financial accounts managed by a financial services institution. The delinquent account may be held by an account holder. At block  504 , data pertaining to social networking activity of the account holder may be accessed. The data pertaining to the social network activity may include a number of photographs or videos in which the account holder and the individual are tagged, a frequency or number of posts to a data feed of the individual by the account holder to a data feed of the account holder by the individual, a frequency or number of RSVPs to common calendar event by the account holder and the individual, a number of RSVPs to a common calendar event by the account holder and the individual, a relationship status of an individual with relation to the account holder, or some combination thereof. 
     At block  506 , the data pertaining to social network activity may be reviewed to identify an individual who is affiliated with the account holder. At block  508 , a solicitation message may be transmitted to a social media account of the affiliated individual. The solicitation message may request the affiliated individual make a payment to the delinquent account on behalf of the account holder. At block  510 , a payment message may be received that authorizes a payment to the delinquent account. At block  512 , the payment may be applied to the delinquent account. 
     One skilled in the art will appreciate that, for this and other processes and methods disclosed herein, the functions performed in the processes and methods may be implemented in differing order. Furthermore, the outlined steps and operations are only provided as examples, and some of the steps and operations may be optional, combined into fewer steps and operations, or expanded into additional steps and operations without detracting from the essence of the disclosed embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the method  500  may include reading a network address linked to the delinquent account of the account holder. In these and other embodiments, a social media account of the account holder may be determined based on the network address. 
     In some embodiments, data pertaining to executed financial transactions may be parsed. The executed financial transactions may draw on the delinquent account. A social media account from which the executed financial transactions originated may be traced. It may be ascertained that the social media account is a social media account of the account holder. 
     Additionally or alternatively, the method  500  may include retrieving location data. For example, location data of the trusted device and of an account holder device associated with the account holder may be retrieved. From the location data, a device location pattern of the account holder device and a device location pattern of the trusted device may be created. It may then be determined whether an overlap of the device location pattern of the trusted device and the device location pattern of the account holder device is greater than a particular threshold. 
     In some embodiments, a network address of the affiliated individual may be identified. For example, the network address may be identified from data pertaining to financial transactions or a review of data pertaining to social media activity. In these and other embodiments, the solicitation message may be sent to the network address affiliated individual. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart of another example method  600  of account recoupment, which may be arranged in accordance with at least one embodiment described herein. The method  600  may be implemented, in some embodiments, by a computing device or computing system, such as the system server  124  discussed herein or the computing device  400  discussed with reference to  FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, the system server  124  or the computing device  400  may include or may be communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., the data storage  408  or memory  406  of  FIG. 4 ) having stored thereon programming code or instructions (e.g., the recoup module  412  of  FIG. 4 ) that are executable by a processor (such as the processor  404  of  FIG. 4 ) to cause the system server  124  or the computing device  400  to perform the method  600 . Additionally or alternatively, the system server  124  or the computing device  400  may include the processor  404  described above that is configured to execute computer instructions to cause the system server  124  or the computing device  400  or another computing device to perform the method  600 . Although illustrated as discrete blocks, various blocks may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation. 
     The method  600  may begin at block  602 . At block  602 , a social media account of an account holder of a financial account may be accessed. In some embodiments, the social media account of the account holder may be accessed based at least partially on a network address that is included in financial account information of the financial account. 
     At block  604 , the social media account of the account holder may be scanned for social media activity illustrative of an affiliation between an individual and the account holder. The social network activity may include photographs or videos in which the account holder and the individual are tagged, posts to a data feed of the individual and/or account holder, RSVPs to common calendar events by the account holder and the individual, and a relationship status of an individual with relation to the account holder, among other social network activity. 
     At block  606 , a solicitation message may be communicated to an affiliated individual. The solicitation message may request the affiliated individual make a payment to the financial account of the account holder. The solicitation message may be communicated in response to the account becoming delinquent. 
     At block  608 , a payment message that authorizes a payment from a financial account of the affiliated individual to the financial account of the account holder may be received. At block  610 , the payment may be applied to the delinquent account. For example, in response to reception of the payment message, the payment may be applied to the financial account. 
     In some embodiments, after identifying the affiliated individual from the social media activities, the method  600  may include retrieving a network address of the affiliated individual. The network address of the affiliated individual may be compared to one or more financial accounts managed by a financial services institution. Additionally, one or more other network addresses of the affiliated individual may be retrieved from the financial account managed by the financial services institution. In these and other embodiments, communicating the solicitation message includes sending a request to the one or more other network addresses of the affiliated individual. 
     As indicated above, the embodiments described herein may include the use of a special purpose or general purpose computer (e.g., the processor  404  of  FIG. 4 ) including various computer hardware or software modules, as discussed in greater detail below. Further, as indicated above, embodiments described herein may be implemented using computer-readable media (e.g., the data storage  408  or the memory  406  of  FIG. 4 ) for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. 
     As used herein, the terms “module” or “component” may refer to specific hardware implementations configured to perform the actions of the module or component and/or software objects or software routines that may be stored on and/or executed by general purpose hardware (e.g., computer-readable media, processing devices, etc.) of the computing system. In some embodiments, the different components, modules, engines, and services described herein may be implemented as objects or processes that execute on the computing system (e.g., as separate threads). While some of the system and methods described herein are generally described as being implemented in software (stored on and/or executed by general purpose hardware), specific hardware implementations or a combination of software and specific hardware implementations are also possible and contemplated. In this description, a “computing entity” may be any computing system as previously defined herein, or any module or combination of modulates running on a computing system. 
     Terms used herein and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including, but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes, but is not limited to,” etc.). 
     Additionally, if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. 
     In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” or “one or more of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended to include A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, etc. For example, the use of the term “and/or” is intended to be construed in this manner. 
     Further, any disjunctive word or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” should be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.” 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical objects to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.