Patent ID: 8285648

Claim:
A user identity verification method for verifying the identity of a user by a verifier in the course of an electronic transaction, said user identity verification method comprising the steps of: (a) pre-enrolling the user, comprising the steps of: (a1) assigning to the user a bona fide secure identifier; and, (a2) storing the bona fide secure identifier in a database that is accessible to the verifier; (b) pre-enrolling a user communications device, wherein pre-enrolling the user communications device comprises the steps of: (b1) obtaining a user access number for the user communications device, wherein the user access number can be used to open a communications link with the user communications device; and, (b2) storing the user access number in a database that is accessible to the verifier; (c) retrieving the user access number stored at Step (b2); (d) opening a communications link between the verifier and the user communications device by using the user access number retrieved at Step (c); (e) sending an identity verification request (IVR) from the verifier to the user through the communications link opened at Step (d); (f) inputting by the user a putative secure identifier; (g) sending through the communications link opened at Step (d) a response to the IVR of Step (e); (h) retrieving the bona fide secure identifier stored at Step (a2); (i) comparing the putative secure identifier input at Step (f) with the bona fide secure identifier retrieved at Step (h); and, (j) allowing the transaction to proceed only if the comparison of Step (i) results in a match between the putative secure identifier and the bona fide secure identifier.