Banking computer account system with lock for secure payment via telephone

A method for secure payment via telephone, said method comprising:

• storing unlock information associated with a user financial account in a financial computer account system of a financial institution;
• locking said financial account of said user by said financial computer account system, said locking preventing withdrawals from said financial account;
• receiving, at said financial computer account system, a telephone call from a telephone of said user;
• identifying a private telephone number assigned to said telephone of said user;
• determining if said identified private telephone number matches said stored unlock information;
• and
• unlocking, by said financial computer account system, said financial account and allowing withdrawals for a predefined time when it is determined that said identified private telephone number matches said stored unlock information.

A method for secure payment via telephone using an existing financial computer account system (3) in an existing financial institution, a public communication system (2) and a telephone (1), said method comprising:

• storing unlock information set (8) associated with the account (3-7) of a specific user in the financial computer account system (3),
• assigning, by the financial computer account system (3), a private phone number (6) to the user, said private phone number being included in said unlock information set;
• dialing, by said specific user, from the assigned private phone number (6) of the telephone (1) the financial computer account system;
• checking, by the financial computer account system (3), whether or not an information set for the private phone number (6) matches the stored unlock information set (8);
• unlocking the user account if there is said match for a predefined time;
• and
• locking said user account after said predefined time has elapsed.

A computer account system with security via an electronic means, the system includes:

• a financial computer account system (a) having a plurality of accounts wherein the accounting state of an individual account may be sets;
• one or more receivers (b) connected to said financial computer account system for receiving instructions to activate one of said accounts;
• a subsystem (c) connected to the financial computer account system for processing electronic transactions, the subsystem for processing electronic transactions including on-line or off-line transaction terminals (d);
• a wireless electronic device (e) arranged to send codes with which account holders send instructions to activate said accounts of the financial computer account system (a) via the electronic means;
• and
• a customer database recording said codes of the wireless electronic device (e).