Patent ID: 7174316

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for issuing a stored value card affiliated with a predetermined card transaction processing network and an issuer, the method comprising: presenting an individual human purchaser with an opportunity to buy the stored value card; determining with a computer processor whether the individual human purchaser has sufficient funds to pay for the stored value card; establishing in a computer database of the issuer 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) the stored value account number; and (c) a stored value initial issue amount; issuing the stored value card by the issuer, wherein, prior to issuance, the stored value card is marked with the name of the recipient, the stored value account number, and an issuer identification indicia, and wherein the stored value card is accepted for purchase anywhere the predetermined card transaction processing network is accepted for purchases; reloading the independent stored value card account in response to receiving a reload request from the recipient; and receiving notification from the recipient that the stored value card has been received.