Method and System for Making Electronic Payments

A method for making payments for items being purchased by customers at points of sale, each purchase by each customer at each point of sale comprising the steps of:

• a) acquiring and sending a payment pending notification comprising an account number of the customer and a first terminal identification number to a host system, with a first data transfer system;
• b) acquiring and sending a payment request comprising a total cost of the items, a second terminal identification number, and a control bank card number to the host system, with a second data transfer system;
• c) associating a customer's account with the purchase by correlating the first terminal identification number with the second terminal identification number, with the host system;
• d) making a payment decision using information in the customer's account, with the host system;
• e) sending the payment decision to the point of sale, with the second data transfer system;
• and
• f) closing the transaction at the point of sale.