Patent ID: 8751264

Claim:
A system for verifying the identity of a consumer comprising: a first controller associated with a facility; a memory associated with the first controller; a biometric sensor in communication with the first controller; a second controller associated with an information collection center and adapted to be in communication with the first controller; a network interface; and a biometric scan database; wherein the biometric scan database includes biometric scans that are verifiable as being associated with a consumer, the biometric scans being defined as official biometric scans, wherein the biometric scan database is accessible via the network interface, wherein the first controller is configured to transmit a first signal that includes a request for an official biometric scan associated with a consumer to the second controller responsive to an occurrence of an event, wherein the second controller is configured to initiate contact with the biometric scan database via the network interface in response to the first signal received from the first controller, wherein an official biometric scan associated with the consumer is identified within the biometric scan database, wherein the second controller is configured to transmit the official biometric scan associated with the consumer to the first controller in response to the first signal received from the first controller, wherein a copy of the official biometric scan is stored on a memory associated with the first controller to define a stored official biometric scan; wherein the stored official biometric scan is verified for accuracy by comparing the stored official biometric scan to an updated official biometric scan after a period of time during which the biometric feature included in the stored official biometric scan may have changed; wherein the biometric sensor is configured to scan a biometric feature of the consumer producing a biometric scan of the consumer, and wherein a consumer identity is verified by performing a comparison of the biometric scan of the consumer with the official biometric scan associated with the consumer.