Patent ID: 7313545

Claim:
A method for evaluating transactions for suspicious activity, the method comprising: providing a reference designator list, wherein the reference designator list includes at least a subset of information available from a first transaction system that is associated with suspicious activity, wherein the first transaction system comprises a money transfer network, and wherein the suspicious activity is related to suspect persons performing money transfers; evaluating a first money transfer transaction associated with the first transaction system using the reference designator list to detect suspicious activity, wherein the evaluating step comprises comparing transaction details associated with the first money transfer transaction with the reference designator list to determine any matching data; if matching data is found, flagging the first transaction as potentially involving an attempt by a suspect person to perform a money transfer, and updating the reference designator list with the matching data to produce an updated reference designator list; evaluating a second transaction associated with a second transaction system using the reference designator list to detect suspicious activity, wherein the second transaction system comprises a credit card network and wherein the evaluating step comprises comparing credit card transaction data from the second transaction with the updated reference designator list to determine any matching data; and if any matching data from the updated reference designator list is found, flagging the second transaction as potentially involving an attempt by an unauthorized person to charge a credit card account.