Radio frequency identification purchase transactions

A method for using a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card comprising:

• receiving an indicia identifying the RFID card;
• receiving a request to activate the RFID card;
• activating the RFID card by associating an RFID account with the RFID card;
• associating a face value from the RFID card with the RFID account;
• receiving a text message from a mobile telephone comprising a PIN associated with the RFID card;
• identifying an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) or a telephone number associated with the mobile telephone;
• associating the ESN or the telephone number with a user account associated with a provider of services or products;
• crediting the face value from the RFID card to the user account;
• and
• sending a text message to the mobile telephone confirming that the face value was credited to the user account.

A system for using a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card, comprising:

• an RFID card;
• an RFID account associated with the RFID card;
• a merchant RFID communication module that receives indicia identifying the RFID card and sends a request to activate the RFID card by associating an initial value to the RFID account;
• and
• a central processor or intermediary that receives a PIN associated with the RFID card and a request to activate the RFID card from the merchant RFID communication module, and wherein the central processor or intermediary activates the RFID card by associating an initial value and profile information with the RFID account.

A system for using a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card, comprising:

• an RFID card;
• a data storage device comprising an RFID account;
• a mobile telephone;
• a merchant RFID communication moducle, that receives an indicia identifying the RFID card from the RFID card and sends a request to activate the RFID card;
• a central processor or intermediary that:
• receives the request to activate RFID card;
• activates the RFID card by associating an RFID account with the RFID card;
• associates a face value from the RFID card with the RFID account;
• receives a text message from the mobile telephone comprising a PIN associated with the RFID card;
• identifies an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) or a telephone number associated with the mobile telephone;
• associates the ESN or the telephone number with a user account associated with a provider of services or products;
• credits the face value from the RFID card to the user account;
• and
• sends a text message to the mobile telephone confirming that the face value was credited to the user account.

A method for using a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card comprising:

• scanning a universal price code (UPC) using a point-of-sale (POS) bar code reader or a magnetic stripe reader;
• determining whether the UPC is associated with an RFID product;
• and
• upon a determination that the UPC is associated with an RFID product, performing the following steps:
• a) reading RFID data from the RFID card, and
• b) sending an activation request, comprising at least a portion of the RFID data.