Patent ID: 8352376

Claim:
A system for an Internet-based transaction authorization service using Short Message Service (SMS) text messages for secure communication between multiple parties, comprising: means for registering users equipped with Internet-enabled mobile devices to establish at least two codes, including one code for authenticating communications from a particular user to the transaction authorization service and another code for authenticating communications from the transaction authorization service to the particular user; means for establishing a payment account for the particular user; means for receiving, via an SMS communications channel, an SMS message to initiate a payment transaction from the particular user's payment account to another account; means for contacting the particular user via a different communications channel than the SMS communications channel on which the SMS message is received to confirm authorization for the payment transaction, wherein contacting the particular user via the different communications channel comprises supplying the code for authenticating communications from the transaction authorization service to the particular user; means for receiving a reply to said contacting from the particular user including the code for authenticating communications from the particular user to the transaction authorization service; means for authorizing, by the transaction authorization service, the payment transaction based on said reply from the particular user; and means for performing the payment transaction if authorized.