Patent ID: 7984289

Claim:
A method for initiating an electronic account over a network, comprising the steps of: transmitting user information from a user to a registration system over the network; receiving the user information from the user via the network to initiate the electronic account; generating a unique electronic account number corresponding to the user information; establishing the electronic account using the unique electronic account number, the electronic account being stored in a customer name database containing the user information; retrieving a physical address of the user from an address database based on the user information, the physical address corresponding to the location where the user receives physical mail; storing the physical address of the user in a customer address database; generating, by a verification form generator, an identification verification form using the physical address and the user information; sending the identification verification form to the user at the physical address; notifying a confirmation host, by the verification form generator, when the identification verification form has been sent; validating the identification verification form at the registration office; transmitting validated identification verification information from the registration office to the confirmation host; retrieving the validated identification verification information at the registration system from the confirmation host to establish the electronic account for the user; requesting, by the registration system, an electronic certificate for the electronic account from a certificate authority; receiving the electronic certificate by the registration system; and linking the electronic certificate to the electronic account.