US 8,620,812 B2 · Authenticated third-party check cashing

Abstract

Tools for facilitating the process of providing presentation instrument redemption services, including without limitation tools that implement techniques for authenticating the identity of a check cashing customer through the use of biometric data that is derived from one or more biometric characteristics of the customer. The tools can be used to enroll the customer in a check cashing program, using biometric data as an authentication key. Thereafter, when the customer attempts to redeem a presentation instrument, the customer can provide the same biometric data, and the tools can authenticate the identity of the customer based one the biometric data. The tools can implement additional risk-prevention measures, such as risk-profiling routines, which can be used to estimate the risk of a fraudulent transaction, based on a variety of risk factors associated with the customer and/or the requested transaction.

In a relationship between a financial institution, a financial transaction provider, and a check-cashing customer, a method of approving a check-cashing request, the method comprising:

providing a first biometric capture device in communication with a first point of sale device;
receiving, at the first point of sale device, a biometric authentication enrollment request for the check-cashing customer;
identifying, at the first biometric capture device, one or more physical characteristics of the check-cashing customer;
generating, from the identified one or more physical characteristics, a first set of biometric data about the check-cashing customer;
transmitting the first set of biometric data about the check-cashing customer from the first biometric capture device to the first point of sale device;
receiving, at the first point of sale device, the first set of biometric data;
prompting a user to provide a set of biographical information about the check-cashing customer, the set of biographical information comprising an identifier from a photographic identification;
receiving, at the first point of sale device, the set of biographical information about the check-cashing customer;
prior to transmitting an enrollment request, validating, at the first point of sale device, the set of biographical information about the check-cashing customer;
associating the set of biographical information with the first set of biometric data;
transmitting, from the first point of sale device to a host computer, the enrollment request comprising the associated set of biographical information and first set of biometric data;
receiving, at the host computer, the enrollment request comprising the associated set of biographical information and first set of biometric data;
evaluating, at the host computer, the enrollment request to determine whether either or both of the first set of biometric data and the set of biographical information match with information already stored at the host computer;
validating, at the host computer, the photographic identification by comparing the photographic identification with a database of valid identifier values;
evaluating, at the host computer, the enrollment request against a first set of risk factors based on the customer's check writing history prior to enrollment;
determining, at the host computer, a first risk level of the enrollment request is not unacceptably high;
enrolling the check-cashing customer at the host computer, based at least in part on an evaluation of the first set of biographical information;
storing, via a biometric management application, the first set of biometric data in a biometric database at the host computer;
storing the first set of biographical information in a second database, the biometric database being isolated from the second database;
linking the first set of biometric data and the first set of biographical information via a customer identification number such that the biometric database is accessible only through the biometric management application via the customer identification number being provided to the biometric management application;
transmitting, from the host computer to the first point of sale device, an enrollment message indicating that the enrollment request has been approved;
transmitting the customer identification number from the host computer to the first point of sale device to provide the check-cashing customer with the customer identification number;
receiving the enrollment message at the first point of sale device;
displaying, at the first point, of sale device an enrollment indication to indicate that the enrollment request has been approved;
providing a second biometric capture device in communication with a second point of sale device;
receiving, at the second point of sale device, a set of request information concerning a request by the customer to redeem a presentation instrument, the set of request information comprising information about the presentation instrument and a second set of biographical information about the customer;
receiving, at the second point of sale device, the customer identification number from the check-cashing customer;
generating, at the second biometric capture device, a second set of biometric data about the customer;
transmitting the second set of biometric data from the second biometric capture device to the second point of sale device;
receiving the second set of biometric data at the second point of sale device;
associating the second set of biometric data with the set of request information;
transmitting the associated second set of biometric data and set of request information from the second point of sale device to the host computer;
receiving, at the host computer, the associated second set of biometric data and set of request information;
evaluating, at the host computer, the set of request information against a second set of risk factors based on the customer's historical information;
evaluating, at the host computer, the set of request information against a third set of risk factors based on the presentation instrument;
determining, at the host computer, a second risk level of the redemption request is not unacceptably high;
comparing, at the host computer, the second set of biographical information with the first set of biographical information;
comparing, at the host computer, the second set of biometric data with the first set of biometric data;
based at least in part on an evaluation of the set of request information, a comparison of the first set of biographical information with the second set of biographical information, and a comparison of the first set of biometric data with the second set of biometric data, approving the request to redeem the presentation instrument;
transmitting, from the host computer to the point of sale device an approval message indicating that the request to redeem the presentation instrument has been approved;
and
displaying, at the second point of sale device, an approval indication to indicate that the request to redeem the presentation instrument has been approved.

39 more elements

Authenticated third-party check cashing

Life of this patent

Authenticated third-party check cashing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24