Patent ID: 7922077

Claim:
A method for activating a payment instrument in the form of a mobile device, wherein during activation an account identifier is loaded into the mobile device, and wherein the mobile device employs telecommunications signaling and has a payment instrument module that employs wireless signaling separate from the telecommunications signaling for storing the account identifier and for transmitting the account identifier when conducting a transaction, the method comprising: associating a personal identifier with the account identifier and providing that personal identifier to a user prior to activation of the payment instrument; placing the mobile device in proximity to, and without physical contact with, an external wireless device that is external to the mobile device, the external wireless device for transmitting wireless signaling representing the account identifier; wirelessly transmitting the account identifier from the external wireless device to the payment instrument module, without the mobile device and external wireless device being in physical contact; requesting a personal identifier be provided by the user; and enabling the payment instrument to use the transmitted account identifier if the requested personal identifier provided by the user matches the personal identifier associated with the account identifier.