Method and System for Secure Mobile Remittance

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for reducing the fraud related to remittance transactions initiated at web portals. In one embodiment, mobile technologies that are available to consumers can be used to reduce fraud associated with remittance transactions. For example, a funding agency computer that enables a remittance transaction can request that a mobile platform computer verify a customer with a mobile personal identifier. The mobile platform computer can request the mobile personal identifier from a customer via the customer's mobile handset device. The mobile platform computer can determine whether the identifier received from the customer's mobile handset device matches the mobile personal identifier stored for the customer. If the mobile platform computer is able to verify the customer, the mobile platform computer can provide a verification confirmation message to the funding agency computer.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for processing a remittance transaction comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by a mobile platform computer, a set of identifiers comprising a mobile personal identifier and a mobile handset identifier of a mobile handset;   generating, by the mobile platform computer, a random authentication code to validate the mobile handset;   receiving, by the mobile platform computer, a request for a first verification of the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset;   responsive to receiving the first verification request, verifying, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset at a first time to complete a registration of the mobile handset;   after completing the registration of the mobile handset,
 responsive to receiving a request to initiate a remittance transaction, receiving, by the mobile platform computer, a request for a second verification of the mobile personal identifier, the first verification request and the second verification request comprising the mobile handset identifier; and 
 responsive to receiving the second verification request, verifying, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset at a second time to send payment instructions to a payment gateway. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein verifying, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset comprises:
 transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, a request for the mobile personal identifier to the mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier;   receiving, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile personal identifier from the mobile handset;   determining that the mobile personal identifier received from the mobile handset matches the mobile personal identifier previously received at the mobile platform computer; and   transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, a verification based on a determination that the mobile personal identifier received from the mobile handset matches the mobile personal identifier that is received at the mobile platform computer.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, the random authentication code to the mobile handset; and   transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, the random authentication code to the funding agency computer, wherein the funding agency verifies the mobile handset based on the random authentication code.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform computer receives a receipt from the funding agency computer upon completion of the remittance transaction and transmits the receipt to the mobile handset. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method for processing a remittance transaction comprising the steps of:
 uploading, by a mobile platform computer, a mobile software application to a mobile handset;   validating, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile handset by verifying a random authentication code received from the mobile handset;   verifying, by the mobile platform computer, a mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset at a first time to complete a registration process;   after completing the registration process and responsive to receiving a request to initiate a remittance transaction at a funding agency computer, receiving, by the mobile platform computer, a verification request associated with the remittance transaction, the verification request received from the funding agency computer and comprising the mobile handset identifier;   responsive to receiving the verification request from the funding agency computer, transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, a request for a mobile personal identifier to a mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier;   receiving, by the mobile platform computer, the mobile personal identifier from the mobile handset and determining that the mobile personal identifier received from the mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier matches a mobile personal identifier stored in the mobile platform computer during the registration process; and   transmitting, by the mobile platform computer, a verification to the funding agency computer based on a positive verification.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the random authentication code is manually entered into the mobile software application and transmitted by the mobile handset. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the positive verification comprises the determination that the mobile personal identifier received from the mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier matches the mobile personal identifier stored in the mobile platform computer during the registration process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein responsive to verifying the mobile handset, a funding account verification process is performed comprising the steps of:
 transmitting, by the funding agency computer, a test amount of funds for deposit in a funding account identified by a mobile handset; and   receiving, by the funding agency computer from the mobile handset, an amount matching the test amount of funds as determined by the mobile handset having checked a balance of the funding account.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the mobile handset identifier and the mobile personal identifier are stored at the mobile platform computer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the mobile platform computer receives a receipt from the funding agency computer upon completion of the remittance transaction and transmits the receipt to the mobile handset. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a transfer request process comprises:
 the mobile handset transmitting the request for the remittance transaction to a funding agency computer, the request comprising a funding account, a recipient and an amount;   the mobile handset taking a photograph of a check drawn on the funding account and transmitting the photograph of the check to the funding agency computer; and   the funding agency computer completing the remittance transaction by drawing the amount from the funding account.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a transfer request process comprises:
 the mobile handset transmitting the request for the remittance transaction to a funding agency computer, the request comprising a funding account, a recipient and an amount;   the mobile handset taking a photograph of a check drawn on the funding account and transmitting the photograph of the check to the funding agency computer; and   the funding agency computer completing the remittance transaction by drawing the amount from the funding account.   
     
     
         13 . A server for processing a remittance transaction comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to:
 download a mobile software application to the mobile handset; 
 receive registration data and secure element data of the mobile handset; 
 download a personalized payment card application to a secure element of the mobile handset; 
 verify a funding account; 
 after the funding account verification, verify the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset at a first time to complete a funding account registration process; 
 after completing the funding account registration process,
 responsive to receiving a request to initiate a remittance transaction, receive a verification request associated with the remittance transaction, the verification request comprising the mobile handset identifier; and 
 responsive to receiving the verification request, verify the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset at a second time to send payment instructions to a payment gateway. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The server of  claim 13 , wherein to verify the mobile personal identifier with the mobile handset, the processor is further configured to:
 transmit a request for the mobile personal identifier to the mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier;   receive the mobile personal identifier from the mobile handset; and   transmit to a funding agency computer a verification based on the determination that the mobile personal identifier received from the mobile handset associated with the mobile handset identifier matches a mobile personal identifier stored in the mobile platform computer during a registration process.   
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 13 , wherein to verify the funding account, the processor is further configured to:
 receive a request for a portion of the transaction history associated with the funding account and the secure element data;   responsive to receiving the request for the portion of the transaction history, request from the funding account computer the portion of the transaction history associated with the funding account based on the secure element data;   responsive to the request, receive the portion of the transaction history from the funding agency computer; and   responsive to receiving the portion of the transaction history, transmit the portion of the transaction history associated with the funding account, wherein the mobile handset transmits information from the portion of the transaction history to the funding agency computer to verify the funding account.   
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to host a trusted service manager (“TSM”) to transmit a secure credential to the secure element of the mobile handset. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein the secure credential is information associated with a funding account. 
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to personalize the mobile handset. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to establish a secure communication channel between a trusted service manager (“TSM”) of the mobile platform computer and the secure element of the mobile handset. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured to replace a default encryption key on the secure element with an encryption key obtained from a funding agency computer.