Systems and/or methods for fraud detection in award point programs

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate to the field of electronic registration (ER) of purchased items and, more particularly, to improved electronic registration techniques that provide validation and/or verification services for an award points program and/or products having associated award points. Certain exemplary embodiments provide electronic award points management techniques that authenticate item purchases, determine eligibility for inclusion in a manufacturer's or a retailer's award program, help identify and detect potential fraudulent transactions involving award points and/or associated products, etc. Certain exemplary embodiments may allow point information to be printed directly on a case where it is continually visible, which may, in turn, help increase enrollment by increasing visibility of the program, reducing the likelihood of insert cards being lost, etc., while at the same time reducing costs for program implementation on the part of manufacturers, retailers, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing transactions, in connection with an electronic registration (ER) system having an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, at least some of said items being sold with an associated promotion administered at least in part by a promotional program system, the method comprising:
 querying the ER database to locate a matching entry when an item is presented for return or refund at a location, using a processor of the ER system;   determining whether a promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund has been taken advantage of, in response to the item being presented for return or refund at the location, using the processor of the ER system;   sending a first message to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to applicable return/refund policies determined in connection with the ER database, when the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund is not yet eligible for redemption;   sending a second message to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to applicable return/refund policies determined in connection with the ER database, and preventing the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund from being taken advantage of, provided that the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund is eligible for redemption; and   sending a third message to the location denying the return or refund when the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund has already been taken advantage of.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third message is sent, provided that the value of the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund that has already been taken advantage of cannot be recovered from the party presenting the item for return or refund. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising debiting an account of the party presenting the item for return or refund, and authorizing the return or refund. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the account is debited in an amount equal to the value of the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 each said entry in the ER database includes a serial number of the sold item, along with a date and time of the associated sale, and   each said entry in the ER database includes a return/refund policy associated with the item.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a fourth message to a manufacturer of the item to prompt the manufacturer to issue a credit to the location upon successful return or refund. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising instructing personnel at the location to dispose of or destroy the item upon successful return or refund of a rewards point card. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising instructing personnel at the location to return the item to a manufacturer thereof upon successful return or refund of a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ER system is consulted prior to any promotional value being conveyed to a party to determine whether an item being registered with the ER system has been properly sold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein when the ER system determines that an item being registered has already been previously registered, additional information pertaining to the sale of the item being registered is obtained to determine whether the current registration is improper or whether the previous registration is improper. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the additional information comprises information from a receipt of the sale of the item. 
     
     
         13 . A method of processing transactions in connection with an electronic registration (ER) system having an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including item information including at least a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and at least some of said sold items being sold with an associated promotion administered at least in part by a promotional program system, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a party, information for an item being registered with the promotional program system, the item having a promotion associated therewith;   determining, in cooperation with a processor of the ER system, whether an entry for the item being registered with the promotional program system already exists in the ER database;   in response to a determination that the ER database does not already include information for the item being registered, updating the ER database in cooperation with the processor of the ER system so as to include an entry for the item being registered and authorizing the promotional program system to award value associated with the item to the party registering the item; and   in response to a determination that the ER database already includes information for the item being registered, examining previously entered item information for the product and item information entered by the party attempting to register the product, in order to identify a suspected fraudster.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising sending a member identifier of the identified suspected fraudster to the promotional program system in order to enable potential follow-up by promotional program personnel, when the ER database already includes information for the item being registered. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ER database includes entries for items from a plurality of manufacturers operating a plurality of rewards programs. 
     
     
         17 . An electronic registration (ER) system, comprising:
 an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, at least some of said items being sold with an associated promotion administered at least in part by a promotional program system; and   a processor configured to execute instructions to at least:
 query the ER database to locate a matching entry when an item is presented for return or refund at a location; 
 determine whether a promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund has been taken advantage of, in response to the item being presented for return or refund at the location; 
 send a first message to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to applicable return/refund policies determined in connection with the ER database, when the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund is not yet eligible for redemption; 
 send a second message to the location authorizing the return or refund subject to applicable return/refund policies determined in connection with the ER database, and prevent the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund from being taken advantage of, provided that the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund is eligible for redemption; and 
 send a third message to the location denying the return or refund when the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund has already been taken advantage of 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the third message is sent, provided that the value of the promotion associated with the item presented for return or refund that has already been taken advantage of cannot be recovered from the party presenting the item for return or refund. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to send a fourth message to a manufacturer of the item to prompt the manufacturer to issue a credit to the location upon successful return or refund. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the ER system is consulted prior to any promotional value being conveyed to a party to determine whether an item being registered with the ER system has been properly sold. 
     
     
         22 . An electronic registration (ER) system, comprising:
 an ER database of entries for sold items, each said entry including item information including at least a unique identifier of a corresponding sold item, and at least some of said sold items being sold with an associated promotion administered at least in part by a promotional program system;   an interface configured to receive, from a party, information for an item being registered with the promotional program system, the item having a promotion associated therewith;   at least one processor configured to execute instructions to at least:
 determine whether an entry for the item being registered with the promotional program system already exists in the ER database; 
 in response to a determination that the ER database does not already include information for the item being registered, update the ER database to include an entry for the item being registered and authorize the promotional program system to award value associated with the item to the party registering the item; and 
 in response to a determination that the ER database already includes information for the item being registered, examine previously entered item information for the product and item information entered by the party attempting to register the product, in order to identify a suspected fraudster, 
   wherein the ER database includes entries for items from a plurality of manufacturers operating a plurality of rewards programs.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the item is one of either a rewards point card, or a physical product having an associated number of rewards points. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the ER system is consulted via the promotion program system prior to any redemption activities to determine whether a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since points have been credited to a member. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the anonymous member identifiers stored in the ER database are generated by applying a hash algorithm to members' e-mail addresses such that the members' e-mail addresses are needed to decode the anonymous member identifiers.