Patent ID: 7778935

Claim:
A method for biometric-secure transactions and authentication to eliminate fraudulent transactions and access using a plurality of card scanners, card scanner further comprising a credit card size housing, a fingerprint scanner mounted in said housing, PROM memory with no initial user fingerprint scan data stored thereon, processing means for initiating and controlling a scanning operation when a user places a finger on said fingerprint scanner to thereby obtain a real time fingerprint scan, an infrared port for transmitting data, a power contact, at least one magnetic strip, the method comprising the steps of: issuing an unactivated card scanner to a user, said card scanner having a device ID number stored in said PROM memory; pre-registering said user by assigning a user ID, recording said user ID and device ID in a database, and storing said user ID and said user's financial institution codes and corresponding account routing numbers in said PROM memory; activating said card scanner by performing a first real-time fingerprint scan by receiving said users finger on said fingerprint scanner; enrolling said user with said card scanner by storing a subset of said first real time fingerprint scan in said PROM memory; inserting said card scanner in a card reader; obtaining a second real-time fingerprint scan by said fingerprint scanner and initiating and controlling a scanning operation at said card reader using said fingerprint scanner; determining a match of said first fingerprint scan and said second fingerprint scan by comparing by said processing means a subset of said second real-time fingerprint scan to the subset of said first real-time fingerprint scan; based on said comparing step, transmitting the user ID of said user and said financial institution codes to said card reader; selecting by use of said card reader from said financial institution codes a financial institution and account for a transaction; transmitting from said card scanner to said card reader the corresponding account routing numbers from said PROM memory for the selected financial institution and account for said transaction; and transmitting financial details of said transaction to the designated financial institution via an exchange service provider through encrypted authentication data.