Identity Risk Scoring

Abstract

An identity risk score may be determined for subscribers of a service to indicate a level of confidence or certainty associated with a subscriber's identity. The identity risk score may be modified upward or downward in order to reflect changing levels of certainty. The changes may be based on transactions performed on behalf of and/or information submitted by the subscriber. Functionality provided to the subscriber may also be dependent upon whether the subscriber's identity risk score meets a threshold. In one or more arrangements, an identity risk score may be determined based on whether information entered by the subscriber can be confirmed and a level of confidence with which the information is confirmed.

1 . A method comprising:
 establishing an identity risk score for a subscriber of a financial service, wherein the identity risk score corresponds to a degree of certainty to which an identity of the subscriber is able to be verified;   receiving a transaction on behalf of the subscriber, wherein the transaction includes information that has not been previously received in association with the subscriber; and   altering the identity risk score as a result of processing the received transaction information.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a set of functionality available to the subscriber based on the altered identity risk score; and   providing the set of functionality to the subscriber.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the set of functionality available includes at least one of: (i) enrollment processing, (ii) login processing, (iii) processing a request to view a bill, (iv) payment request processing, (v) payment processing, (vi) processing a request to view or modify subscriber profile information, (vii) processing a request to view or modify payee information, (viii) processing a request to view payment history, and (ix) collections processing. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the set of functionality available to the subscriber based on the altered identity risk score includes comparing a value, derived from at least the altered identity risk score, with a threshold value. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the value is further derived from the altered identity risk score in combination with at least one of: (i) a fraud risk score and (ii) a credit risk score. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the identity risk score for the subscriber includes matching the subscriber to a second subscriber of the financial service. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining whether the second subscriber is associated with an unresolved negative experience; and   in response to determining that the second subscriber is associated with the unresolved negative experience, denying at least one service function of the financial service to the subscriber.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the identity risk score for the subscriber includes:
 at least one of receiving an identifier associated with the subscriber from a third party identity service, and generating the identifier associated with the subscriber; and   storing the identifier in association with the subscriber in a database.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 removing at least one item of sensitive information associated with the subscriber from the database.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information is first information and wherein establishing the identity risk score comprises:
 transmitting second information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service; and   receiving a confidence level from the third party identity service, wherein the confidence level corresponds to the degree of certainty to which the identity of the subscriber is able to be verified.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received transaction information includes an account identifier of a financial account and wherein processing the received transaction information includes determining that a second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the financial account. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining that the second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the financial account is performed based on at least one of: (i) an identifier identifying an entity associated with the financial account and (ii) a group identifier identifying a group that includes the subscriber and the second subscriber. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 transmitting the account identifier and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service;   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating whether an association between the subscriber and the financial account corresponding to the account identifier exists; and   determining that the response indicates that the association between the subscriber and the financial account exists, wherein altering the identity risk score includes increasing the identity risk score.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 transmitting the account identifier and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service;   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating that an association between the subscriber and the financial account corresponding to the account identifier does not exist, wherein altering the identity risk score includes decreasing the identity risk score.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein altering the identity risk score includes one of: increasing the identity risk score and decreasing the identity risk score. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received transaction information includes new or revised payee information. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 determining whether a second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the received transaction information based on at least one of: (i) an identifier identifying an entity corresponding to the subscriber and (ii) a group identifier identifying a group that includes the subscriber and the second subscriber;   transmitting the received transaction information and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service; and   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating whether an association between the subscriber and the received transaction information exists,   wherein altering the identity risk score includes increasing the identity risk score in response to determining that the response indicates the association exists.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a first identifier from a third party identity service;   storing the first identifier in association with the subscriber;   receiving the first identifier and a second identifier from the third party identity service;   identifying the subscriber on the basis of the first identifier; and   storing the second identifier in association with the subscriber.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the steps of receiving a first identifier, storing the first identifier and receiving the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with establishing the identity risk score and wherein the steps of identifying the subscriber and storing the second identifier are associated with altering the identity risk score. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein altering the identity risk score is only performed if an altered identity risk score drops below a predefined maximum identity risk score. 
   
   
       21 . A method for determining a set of functions available to a subscriber comprising:
 determining a risk value associated with a subscriber, wherein the risk value is based on at least two of: (i) an identity risk score associated with the subscriber, (ii) a credit risk score associated with the subscriber, and (iii) a fraud risk score associated with the subscriber;   determining whether the risk value is above a threshold; and   providing the subscriber with a first set of one or more available functions if the risk value is above the threshold.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein a first of the at least two risk scores is weighted differently from a second of the at least two risk scores. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing the subscriber with a second set of one or more available functions if the risk value is below the threshold, wherein the first set of one or more available functions includes at least one function not in the second set of one or more available functions. 
   
   
       24 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform a method comprising:
 establishing an identity risk score for a subscriber of a financial service, wherein the identity risk score corresponds to a degree of certainty to which an identity of the subscriber is able to be verified; 
 receiving a transaction on behalf of the subscriber, wherein the transaction includes information that has not been previously received in association with the subscriber; and 
 altering the identity risk score as a result of processing the received transaction information. 
   
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the memory further includes computer readable instructions for:
 determining a set of functionality available to the subscriber based on the altered identity risk score; and   providing the set of functionality to the subscriber.   
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the set of functionality available includes at least one of: (i) enrollment processing, (ii) login processing, (iii) processing a request to view a bill, (iv) payment request processing, (v) payment processing, (vi) processing a request to view or modify subscriber profile information, (vii) processing a request to view or modify payee information, (viii) processing a request to view payment history, and (ix) collections processing. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein determining the set of functionality available to the subscriber based on the altered identity risk score includes comparing a value, derived from at least the altered identity risk score, with a threshold value. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the value is further derived from the altered identity risk score in combination with at least one of: (i) a fraud risk score and (ii) a credit risk score. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein establishing the identity risk score for the subscriber includes matching the subscriber to a second subscriber of the financial service. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the memory further includes computer readable instructions for:
 determining whether the second subscriber is associated with an unresolved negative experience; and   in response to determining that the second subscriber is associated with the unresolved negative experience, denying at least one service function of the financial service to the subscriber.   
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein establishing the identity risk score for the subscriber includes at least one of:
 receiving an identifier associated with the subscriber from a third party identity service; and   generating the identifier associated with the subscriber.   
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the information is first information and wherein establishing the identity risk score comprises:
 transmitting second information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service; and   receiving a confidence level from the third party identity service, wherein the confidence level corresponds to the degree of certainty to which the identity of the subscriber is able to be verified.   
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein establishing the identity risk score includes:
 receiving an identifier associated with the subscriber;   storing the identifier in associating with the subscriber in a database; and   removing at least one item of sensitive information associated with the subscriber from the database.   
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the received transaction information includes an account identifier of a financial account and wherein processing the received transaction information includes determining that a second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the financial account. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein determining that the second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the financial account is performed based on at least one of: (i) an identifier identifying an entity associated with the financial account and (ii) a group identifier identifying a group that includes the subscriber and the second subscriber. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 transmitting the account identifier and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service;   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating whether an association between the subscriber and the financial account corresponding to the account identifier exists; and   determining that the response indicates that the association between the subscriber and the financial account exists, wherein altering the identity risk score includes increasing the identity risk score.   
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 transmitting the account identifier and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service;   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating that an association between the subscriber and the financial account corresponding to the account identifier does not exist, wherein altering the identity risk score includes decreasing the identity risk score.   
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein altering the identity risk score includes one of: increasing the identity risk score and decreasing the identity risk score. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the received transaction information includes new or revised payee information. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein processing the received transaction information includes:
 determining whether a second subscriber of the financial service is associated with the received transaction information based on at least one of: (i) an identifier identifying an entity corresponding to the subscriber and (ii) a group identifier identifying a group that includes the subscriber and the second subscriber;   transmitting the received transaction information and other information associated with the subscriber to a third party identity service; and   receiving a response from the third party identity service indicating whether an association between the subscriber and the received transaction information exists,   wherein altering the identity risk score includes increasing the identity risk score in response to determining that the response indicates the association exists.   
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 receiving a first identifier from a third party identity service;   storing the first identifier in association with the subscriber;   receiving the first identifier and a second identifier from the third party identity service;   identifying the subscriber on the basis of the first identifier; and   storing the second identifier in association with the subscriber.   
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the steps of receiving a first identifier, storing the first identifier and receiving the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with establishing the identity risk score and wherein the steps of identifying the subscriber and storing the second identifier are associated with altering the identity risk score 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein altering the identity risk score is only performed if an altered identity risk score drops below a predefined maximum identity risk score. 
   
   
       44 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the system to perform a method including:
 determining a risk value associated with a subscriber, wherein the risk value is based on at least two of: (i) an identity risk score associated with the subscriber, (ii) a credit risk score associated with the subscriber, and (iii) a fraud risk score associated with the subscriber; 
 determining whether the risk value is above a threshold; and 
 providing the subscriber with a first set of one or more available functions if the risk value is above the threshold 
   
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 44  wherein a first of the at least two risk scores is weighted differently from a second of the at least two risk scores. 
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the memory further includes instructions for providing the subscriber with a second set of one or more available functions if the risk value is below the threshold, wherein the first set of one or more available functions includes at least one function not in the second set of one or more available functions. 
   
   
       47 . A system comprising:
 means for establishing an identity risk score for a subscriber of a financial service, wherein the identity risk score corresponds to a degree of certainty to which an identity of the subscriber is able to be verified;   means for receiving a transaction on behalf of the subscriber, wherein the transaction includes information that has not been previously received in association with the subscriber; and   means for altering the identity risk score as a result of processing the received transaction information.