US 2003/0217014 A1 · Systems and methods for storing and using phone number validations

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for storing the results of telephone number validation determinations that are made in association with proposed financial transactions. In some embodiments, a telephone number validation determination is performed by dialing a telephone number in question and by perceiving a tone emitted in response to the call. In one embodiment, a record of a telephone number validation determination comprises the telephone number, an indication of whether the number is determined to be valid or non-valid, and a date on which the validation determination was performed. Systems and methods are also described for using stored telephone number validation information for subsequent telephone number validation determinations, such that the validity or non-validity of telephone numbers for which acceptable validity information is stored may be determined by accessing the stored data, if desired, rather than by dialing the telephone number.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A computer storage medium having instructions encoded thereon for determining whether a telephone number provided in association with a financial transaction is a valid number or a non-valid number, and for evaluating, based at least in part on the determination, the risk of the financial transaction, the computer storage medium comprising:

a computer encoded instruction for receiving input indicative of a telephone number for an entity participating in a financial transaction;
a computer encoded instruction for dialing the telephone number;
a computer encoded instruction for perceiving a tone emitted when the number is dialed;
a computer encoded instruction for determining whether the emitted tone indicates that the telephone number is a valid number or a non-valid number;
a computer encoded instruction for evaluating the risk of the financial transaction, based at least in part on the determination;
a computer encoded instruction for storing a retrievable record comprising at least one of:
the telephone number, the date, and the determination;
and
a computer encoded instruction for accessing the retrievable record in association with a subsequent financial transaction in order to use information in the record to evaluate the risk of the subsequent financial transaction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for storing and using phone number validations

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for storing and using phone number validations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38