Methods and systems for user authentication

An authentication apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:
• receive a registration request from a user, including information identifying an account associated with said user;
• query a transaction database using said information identifying an account;
• identify a set of transactions conducted using said account, each of said transactions having at least one transaction detail field;
• apply authentication rules required by a provider of the account, wherein the authentication rules include a minimum number of transactions requirement and a permissible number of user retry(s) requirement;
• cause said set of transactions to be presented to said user according to the minimum number of transactions requirement with at least one of said transaction detail fields being redacted;
• cause at least one bogus transaction to be presented to the user with at least one of the bogus transaction field being redacted;
• generate a message to prompt said user to provide positive information concerning said at least one of said redacted transaction detail fields and to provide negative information regarding the at least one redacted bogus transaction data fields field;
• and
• determine to authenticate said user based on at least one positive information response, on at least one negative information response, and on the user satisfying the permissible number of retry(s) requirement.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method of authenticating a user, said method comprising:

• receiving a registration request from a user, the user providing information identifying an account;
• querying a transaction database using said information identifying an account;
• identifying a set of transactions conducted using said account, each of said transactions having at least one transaction detail field;
• applying authentication rules required by the account provider, wherein the authentication rules include a minimum number of transactions requirement and a permissible number of user retry(s) requirement;
• presenting said set of transactions according to the minimum number of transactions requirement to said user with at least one of said transaction detail fields being redacted;
• presenting at least one bogus transaction to the user with at least one bogus transaction field being redacted;
• prompting said user to provide positive information concerning said at least one of said redacted transaction detail fields and to provide negative information regarding the at least one redacted bogus transaction fields;
• and
• determining to authenticate said user based on at least one positive information response, on at least one negative information response, and on the user satisfying the permissible number of retry(s) requirement.