System and method for providing database security measures

Abstract

A trigger card and system for preventing credit and debit card fraud is disclosed. The trigger card is adapted to be indistinguishable from typical credit cards and other cards issued by financial institutions. The system is adapted to receive signals when a standard card reader reads the trigger card. The system is further adapted to initiate an automated procedure to reduce fraud upon receipt of the signal indicating that the trigger card has been read by the card reader.

1 . An electronic database system for providing database security measures, the electronic database system comprising: 
 one or more blocks of data for storing and retrieving data associated with the electronic database system;    one or more financial accounts stored in the one or more blocks of data; and    one or more trigger accounts stored in the one or more blocks of data;    wherein the trigger account is not and cannot be a financial account.    
   
   
       2 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an issuing institution coupled with the electronic database system and operable to initiate the database security measures; and    a network capable of providing communication with the issuing institution and the transactional entities.    
   
   
       3 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger account is associated with a predetermined number of financial accounts.  
   
   
       4 . The electronic database system of  claim 3 , wherein the trigger account is represented by a trigger line.  
   
   
       5 . The electronic database system of  claim 4 , wherein a trigger line may be denoted from the group consisting of an alpha trigger indicator, a numeric trigger indicator, or an alphanumeric trigger indicator.  
   
   
       6 . The electronic database system of  claim 5 , wherein the trigger indicator is encrypted into the account information of the trigger account and is provided as a stealth means to denote the trigger account.  
   
   
       7 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a notification procedure in which selected parties are notified in response to an unauthorized access of a the trigger account.    
   
   
       8 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , wherein the database security measures comprise: 
 a financial account cancellation procedure in which predetermined financial accounts associated with the trigger account are cancelled in response to the unauthorized access to the electronic database system.    
   
   
       9 . The electronic database system of  claim 8 , wherein the database security measures comprise: 
 a financial account ordering procedure in which predetermined replacement financial account information associated with the trigger account is ordered in response to the unauthorized access to the electronic database system.    
   
   
       10 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , wherein the database security measures automatically respond to any unauthorized access by only canceling the affected financial accounts.  
   
   
       11 . The electronic database system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a computer coupled with the electronic database system and operable to initiate the database security measures; and    a network capable of providing communication with the issuing institution and the transactional entities.    
   
   
       12 . An electronic security measure system comprising: 
 one or more security measures activated at one or more monitoring institutions in response to the transmission of a digital red flag transmitted by a trigger card that is not and cannot be a valid financial card.    
   
   
       13 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more security measures is activated through the transfer of information from a transmitting device selected from the group consisting of a card reader, a cash register, or an automatic teller machine.  
   
   
       14 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more security measures is activated through the use of an internet online transaction.  
   
   
       15 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more security measures monitor the account for suspicious activity selected from the group consisting of: 
 requests for additional lines of credit;    requests for increase in credit limit    requests for increase in credit amount;    requests for change of address;    unusual activity; and    unusual buying habits.    
   
   
       16 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a computer trigger software for tracing the transaction to the exact computer or keyboard associated with the fraudulent transaction.    
   
   
       17 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer trigger software is further operable to generate a snap shot of the fraudulent transaction for additional security measures.  
   
   
       18 . The electronic security measure system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a notification procedure in which selected issuing institutions are notified in response to the transmission of the digital trigger red flag over the network to the one or more monitoring institutions.    
   
   
       19 . A method for providing database security measures, comprising the steps of: 
 storing financial accounts in an electronic database system coupled to an issuing institution;    storing trigger accounts in an electronic database system coupled to an issuing institution; and    encrypting a trigger indicator into the account information of the trigger account.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of: 
 canceling a predetermined financial account associated with the trigger account in response to an unauthorized access to the electronic database system; and    ordering predetermined replacement financial accounts associated with the trigger account in response to the unauthorized access to the electronic database system.