Systems and methods for providing consumers anonymous pre-approved offers from a consumer-selected group or merchants

Abstract

The system and method of the present invention provides consumers with credit information including information which can help the consumer evaluate the consumer's credit report or credit worthiness. The present invention can also provide consumers with suggestions to help consumers better their credit rating. The system and method of the present invention also provide consumers with pre-approved credit offers from a consumer-selected group of merchants, where the consumers are anonymous to the merchants, and the merchants do not receive copies of the consumer's credit report. Additional functions of the present invention include allowing users to opt-out or opt-into solicitation lists, and enabling users to automatically monitor their credit report. The present invention offers these services through a third party agent of the consumer which can be accessible to the consumer via the Internet. Through this agency relationship, the third party can request consumer information and determine pre-approved offers from a plurality of merchants while protecting the confidentiality of consumer credit information without negative consequences on a consumer's credit.

1 . A computer-implemented method of providing one or more pre-approved offers to a consumer based on credit-related information of the consumer, comprising: 
 creating an account associated with the consumer;    transmitting to a credit bureau an inquiry for credit history data relating to the consumer;    receiving credit history data on the consumer in response to the inquiry;    receiving at least one selection of a type of pre-approved offer the consumer desires to receive; and    selecting a pre-approved offer from a plurality of offers from multiple merchants based at least partially on the credit history data of the consumer and the selection of the at least one type of pre-approved offer the consumer desires to receive.    
   
   
       2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting the offer to the consumer, wherein the offer is for establishing a credit-based account with a merchant.  
   
   
       3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein presenting the offer includes displaying a selectable item on a webpage viewable by a web browser interface.  
   
   
       4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the pre-approved offer includes: 
 receiving an offer from a merchant with merchant define criteria for selection of a suitable consumer; and    selecting the offer based at least partially on the criteria provided by the merchant.    
   
   
       5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein presenting the pre-approved offer includes presenting the pre-approved offer for acceptance by the consumer, wherein the pre-approved offer is anonymously pre-approved based on a comparison of the credit history data of the consumer and the criteria provided by the merchant.  
   
   
       6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of creating the account includes receiving preference criteria from the consumer.  
   
   
       7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein selecting the pre-approved offer includes selecting the pre-approved offer from a merchant based at least partially on the preference criteria of the consumer.  
   
   
       8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the pre-approved offer includes selecting the pre-approved offer from a merchant based at least partially on market activity of the consumer.  
   
   
       9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the pre-approved offer includes determining a financial term of the pre-approved offer based at least partially on the credit history data of the consumer.  
   
   
       10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a plurality of pre-approved offers for the consumer based at least partially on the credit history data of the consumer and a subject preference provided by the consumer.  
   
   
       11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer comprises a borrower.  
   
   
       12 . A computer-implemented method for presenting pre-approved offers to a consumer, comprising: 
 receiving consumer data records from a plurality of databases;    receiving at least one selection of a type of pre-approved offer a consumer desires to receive;    selecting for the consumer at least one pre-approved offer based on at least one consumer data record associated with the consumer and the selection of the at least one type of pre-approved offer the consumer desires to receive, wherein the pre-approved offer is from at least one merchant; and    sending a web-based representation of the pre-approved offer to the consumer.    
   
   
       13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the consumer data record includes receiving at least one of credit history report associated with the consumer and at least one consumer data record associated with the consumer.  
   
   
       14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein selecting the pre-approved offer includes selecting the pre-approved offer based at least partially on the credit history record.  
   
   
       15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving an offer acceptance indication from the consumer in response to the representation of the pre-approved offer.  
   
   
       16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , where selecting the pre-approved offer includes determining a financial term of the pre-approved offer.  
   
   
       17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein selecting the pre-approved offer includes comparing at least one consumer data record with modeling criteria provided by the merchant.  
   
   
       18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the merchant comprises a financial institution, and the consumer comprises a borrower.  
   
   
       19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the merchant comprises a financial institution, and the consumer comprises a borrower.