Methods and systems for generating short and readable transaction reference numbers using proof-of-work

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• transmitting, to an ID generator, a request for reference IDs, wherein at least one of the reference IDs comprises a value having a determined short length that facilitates user verbal communication of the at least one of the reference IDs during customer service after a corresponding transaction has been completed;
• after the transmitting, receiving, from the ID generator, a proof-of-work problem to be solved;
• performing one or more actions to solve the proof-of-work problem, resulting in a determined solution;
• sending the determined solution to the ID generator;
• and
• after the sending, obtaining, from the ID generator, a range of reference IDs for use with transaction processing.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a processing system including a processor, and from a transaction terminal, a request for reference IDs, wherein at least one of the reference IDs comprises a value having a determined short length that facilitates user verbal communication of the at least one of the reference IDs during customer service after a corresponding transaction has been completed;
• based on the receiving, providing, by the processing system, and to the transaction terminal, a cryptographic challenge puzzle for the transaction terminal to solve;
• after the providing, receiving, by the processing system, and from the transaction terminal, a solution to the cryptographic challenge puzzle;
• performing, by the processing system, one or more actions to verify the solution;
• and
• based on successful verification of the solution, transmitting, by the processing system, a range of reference IDs to the transaction terminal, thereby enabling the transaction terminal to print or include respective reference IDs in the range of reference IDs on receipts for individual card-present transactions.