Patent ID: 7287009

Claim:
A method for carrying out personal transactions comprising: providing a system having a center for performing personal transactions including financial transactions, e-mail transactions, and voice messaging transactions, which center includes a local area network, a voice response unit connected to said local area network, and a telephone communication system; initiating a registration procedure for a new user of said system, said initiating step comprising said new user communicating with said center via a first communication device; registering said user by prompting said user communicating with said center to provide personal information about said user; said registering step further comprising prompting said user to select an identification number for said user; said registering step further comprising prompting said user to create a PIN number by selecting a plurality of single digit numbers to act as a first segment of said PIN number and selecting at least one additional digital number to be incorporated into said PIN number to serve as a second security segment of said PIN number which generates an alarm signal if the user uses said PIN number with said at least one additional digital number; storing said personal information, said identification number, and said PIN number in said local area network; creating a money account and depositing money into said account; said depositing step comprises accessing said system via said first communication device, entering said identification number assigned to said user using said first communication device, entering said PIN number assigned to said user without entering said at least one additional digital number forming said security segment using said first communication device, and providing said money to be deposited to a first agent for said system; withdrawing money from said account and said withdrawing step comprising accessing said system using a second communication device, entering said user's identification number using said second communication device, entering said user's PIN number without entering said at least one security segment digital number using said second communication device, identifying the amount of money to be withdrawn using said second communication device, and receiving said money to be withdrawn from an agent for said system; said accessing step comprising accessing said system via an ATM; and inserting a credit card or an identification card into said ATM prior to entering said identification number.