Card Including Account Number With Value Amount

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention disclosed herein provide a method of participating in prepaid programs through retail systems without the need to first upgrade their POS capabilities to participate, and allow for a merchant (retailer) to participate in proof of concept programs to determine if prepaid is a viable solution for their retail business model.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A prepaid card having an associated monetary value, the prepaid card comprising an account number formed thereon, the account number including a first plurality of digits that represents the monetary value associated with the prepaid card. 
     
     
         19 . The card of  claim 18  wherein the account number further comprises a second plurality of digits representative of an issuer of the prepaid card. 
     
     
         20 . The card of  claim 19  wherein the first plurality of digits is juxtaposed to the second plurality of digits. 
     
     
         21 . The card of  claim 18  wherein the account number is a sixteen digit number, wherein the first plurality of digits is a three digit number and a second plurality of digits is a six digit number, wherein the first plurality of digits is positioned between the second plurality of digits and the remaining seven digits of the sixteen digit number. 
     
     
         22 . A portable consumer device comprising a substrate having formed thereon a primary account number, a portion of the primary account number representative of a funding amount of the portable consumer device. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the primary account number comprises a plurality of digits, and the portion of the primary account number that is representative of a funding amount of the portable consumer device comprises three of the digits. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the primary account number comprises a bank identification number and a monetary value number that is representative of the funding amount of the portable consumer device. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24  wherein the bank identification number is six digits in length. 
     
     
         26 . The card of  claim 22  wherein the primary account number begins with a bank identification number which is followed directly by a monetary value number that is representative of the funding amount of the portable consumer device. 
     
     
         27 . A method for loading value onto a portable consumer device comprising:
 receiving a portable consumer device having formed thereon a primary account number, the primary account number including a monetary value number indicative of a funding amount with which the portable consumer device is to be funded; and   sending a message over a financial network, the message including data representative of the monetary value number in the primary account number of the portable consumer device,   wherein an account associated with the portable consumer device is credited by a monetary amount equal to the data in the message.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the message is a merchandise return transaction message and the data is a return amount in the merchandise return transaction message, wherein the return amount is equal to the monetary value number in the primary account number. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising receiving a return code responsive to the merchandise return transaction message thereby indicating to the merchant that the portable consumer device is funded. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the message is an authorization request message, the authorization request message including the primary account number and an authorization amount equal to zero, wherein the account associated with the portable consumer device is credited by an amount equal to the monetary value number indicated in the primary account number in response to sending the authorization request message having an authorization amount equal to zero. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising the merchant receiving an amount of money from a purchaser of the first stored-value card equal to the monetary value number in the primary account number of the portable consumer device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the primary account number comprises a bank identification number adjacent the monetary value number, and the primary account number further includes a card number portion adjacent the monetary value number. 
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program code configured to operate a computer server to perform the method of  claim 27 . 
     
     
         34 . A server computer comprising the computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 .