Patent ID: 6892187

Claim:
A computer implemented method for issuing a stored value card affiliated with a predetermined credit network and an issuer, the method comprising: presenting an individual human purchaser with an opportunity to buy the stored value card; prior to issuing the stored value card, determining with a computer processor whether the individual human purchaser has sufficient funds in a card-based account of the individual human purchaser to pay for the stored value card; creating in a computer database an independent stored value card account for a recipient designated by the individual human purchaser, wherein the independent stored value card account comprises information about: a) the recipient's name; b) a stored value card account number; and c) a stored value card purchase amount; the independent stored value account being accessible by the recipient to add funds after the card is issued; issuing the stored value card by the issuer directly to the recipient, wherein the stored value card is marked with the designated recipient's name at the time of issuance and at least one of credit network identification indicia associated with the credit network and issuer identification indicia associated with the issuer, and wherein the stored value card is accepted for purchases anywhere the predetermined credit network is accepted for purchases; receiving notification from the recipient that the stored value card has been received, wherein said notification occurs separate from the recipient's use of the card to execute a stored value card transaction; verifying the identity of the recipient; and activating the stored value card based on the verification.