Patent ID: 8041634

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising a plurality of steps each being performed by a transaction handler with one or more servers executing software and in communication with one or more databases, wherein the steps comprise: in a payment processing system in which the transaction handler processes a plurality of transactions each characterized by a consumer and a merchant engaging in one of said plurality of transactions upon an account within the payment processing system, wherein an issuer has issued the account to the consumer, and wherein the merchant submits the one transaction to an acquirer for processing by the transaction handler who requests the issuer to disburse funds from the consumer for the one transaction, and wherein the issuer forwards the funds for delivery to the transaction handler who forwards the funds to the acquirer to disburse the funds to the merchant for the one transaction: receiving a seller identifier for a seller to whom a debt is owed by the consumer; determining, using the seller identifier, whether the seller accepts payments upon the account; when the seller is determined not to accept payments upon the account, addressing a first notice to the consumer seeking collaboration from the consumer to ask the seller to accept payments upon the account; and when the seller is determined to accept payments upon the account: addressing a second notice to the consumer requesting the consumer to have the issuer issue to the consumer, within the account, a sub-account that is unique to the seller for making a future one of said plurality of transactions between the consumer and the seller payable upon the sub-account within the payment processing system; receiving a confirmation that the issuer has issued the sub-account including an indicator for the sub-account; receiving the future transaction between the consumer and the seller including the indicator for the sub-account, wherein the future transaction is: sent from the acquirer for the seller; and received by the transaction handler; and notifying the issuer that the future transaction between the consumer and the seller is payable upon the sub-account.