Patent ID: 7275110

Claim:
An authentication process for authenticating an individual having a social security number comprising: a) attempting to authenticate the individual with identification information supplied by the individual not in response to a request for any portion of that individual's social security number; b) comparing the information supplied by the individual not in response to a request for any portion of that individual's social security number with a database containing identification information about numerous persons; and c) if and only if there is not a unique match: electronically communicating to the individual a request to enter identification information into a computer about the individual, including certain specified digits of the individual's social security number, the certain specified digits being less than all of the digits of the individual's social security number; receiving from the individual identification information about the individual that the individual enters into the computer, including the certain specified digits of the individual's social security number; comparing the identification information entered by the individual, including the certain specified digits of the individual's social security number, but not the remaining digits of the individual's social security number, with a database containing identification information about numerous persons, including at least the certain specified digits of each person's respective social security number; and determining whether there is a match between the identification information entered by the individual, including the certain specified digits of the individual's social security number, but not the remaining digits of the individual's social security number, with the database containing identification information about numerous persons.