Location based authorization of financial card transactions systems and methods

A method for authorization of a transaction with a financial card, the method comprising:

• maintaining a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein,
• each identifier in the table is unique to one of a plurality of mobile communications devices;
• and
• each identifier in the table is associated with at least one financial card number;
• querying, with a location comparison server, one mobile communications device of the plurality of mobile communication devices for location information;
• receiving, at the location comparison server via Internet Protocol over a data network, a communications signal from the one mobile communications device of the plurality of mobile communications devices in response to the query, the signal including information comprising a set of data identifying the location of the one mobile communications device and an identifier unique to the one mobile communications device;
• storing the set of data in the database;
• receiving a request for authorization of a transaction with a financial card number and data identifying the location of the transaction, wherein the financial card number is associated with the identifier unique to the one mobile communications device;
• and
• authorizing the transaction when the database indicates that the one mobile communications device is located within limited geographic regions, the regions determined at least in part by the location of the transaction, wherein the one or more limited geographic regions at least encompass a home region of a user associated with the mobile communications device, and wherein authorizing the transaction comprises:
• determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a first predetermined radial distance from the home region;
• determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a city in which the home region is located;
• based on a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region and occurs within the city in which the home region is located, authorizing the transaction;
• based on a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction does not occur within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region, determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction, the second predetermined radial distance being significantly smaller than the first predetermined radial distance, and authorizing the transaction in response to a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within the second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction;
• and
• denying the request for authorization of a transaction based on one of a determination that the transaction occurs within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region but occurs outside of the city in which the home region is located or a determination that the transaction occurs outside the first predetermined radial distance from the home region and outside the second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction.

A computer program embodied on at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions executable by a computer to:

• maintain a database which comprises a table of identifiers, wherein,
• each identifier in the table is unique to one of a plurality of mobile communications devices;
• and
• each identifier in the table is associated with at least one financial card number;
• query one mobile communications device of the plurality of mobile communication devices for location information;
• receive, via Internet Protocol via a data network, a communications signal from one mobile communications device of the plurality of mobile communications devices in response to the query, the signal including information comprising a set of data identifying the location of the one mobile communications device and an identifier unique to the one mobile communications device;
• store the set of data in the database;
• receive a request for authorization of a transaction with a financial card number and data identifying the location of the transaction, wherein the financial card number is associated with the identifier unique to the one mobile communications device;
• and
• authorize the transaction when the database indicates that the one mobile communications device is located within limited geographic regions, the regions determined at least in part by the location of the transaction, wherein the one or more limited geographic regions at least encompass a home region of a user associated with the mobile communications device, and wherein authorizing the transaction comprises:
• determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a first predetermined radial distance from the home region;
• determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a city in which the home region is located;
• based on a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region and occurs within the city in which the home region is located, authorizing the transaction;
• based on a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction does not occur within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region, determining whether the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within a second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction, the second predetermined radial distance being significantly smaller than the first predetermined radial distance, and authorizing the transaction in response to a determination that the request for authorization of a transaction occurs within the second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction;
• and
• deny the request for authorization of a transaction based on one of a determination that the transaction occurs within the first predetermined radial distance from the home region but occurs outside of the city in which the home region is located or a determination that the transaction occurs outside the first predetermined radial distance from the home region and outside the second predetermined radial distance from the location of the transaction.