Patent ID: 8818842

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for advertisers to define and distribute Short Messaging Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) coupons to consumers, and for consumers to redeem received coupons, comprising the steps of: via a computing device, providing an advertisement that is used to publicize SMS/MMS coupons and/or MMS coupons, said advertisement comprising at least an SMS/MMS dialing number comprising a predetermined code that is used to retrieve a coupon, a coupon code, and advertising content that describes products, services, or/and promotions, said advertisement instructing consumers to send a first SMS/MMS text message to said SMS/MMS dialing number to retrieve a coupon, wherein a consumer receives the coupon; receiving a second SMS message sent by the consumer to verify that the consumer is properly receiving the coupon; responsive to the second SMS message sent by the consumer to said SMS/MMS dialing number via an SMS/MMS-enabled device, verifying, by a computing device, validity of the coupon by cross referencing said coupon code with an identity code defined in the coupon; and via a computing device, sending an SMS/MMS coupon to said SMS/MMS-enabled device comprising at least an identity code that uniquely identifies the coupon and enables a merchant to look up details of a promotion associated to said sent SMS/MMS coupon and a text message that describes details of a promotion for products and/or services and an authentication code for verifying authenticity of said sent coupon.