Methods and systems for verifying transactions

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention provides a computer-implemented method for verifying authorisation of a transaction. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a request to process an electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money ( 215 ); dividing the predetermined amount into a plurality of charges ( 225 ); providing the plurality of charges to facilitate debiting of a financial instrument with each of the plurality of charges ( 235 ); receiving information relating to the plurality of charges from a user of the financial instrument after debiting of the charges ( 245 ); and verifying the transaction only if the information is correct ( 255 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for authenticating identity of a person, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform the steps of:
 receiving a request to process a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money, said request comprising data identifying a particular financial instrument;   dividing the predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   causing said financial instrument to be debited with each of said plurality of charges;   receiving information relating to said plurality of charges from an originator of said request; and   authenticating said identity of said person only if said information is correct.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sum of said plurality of charges is equal to said predetermined amount of money. 
     
     
         3 . The computer method of  claim 1 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person comprises storing a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         4 . The computer method of  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises storing associated with said unique identifier one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person is for the purpose of executing a contract or record. 
     
     
         6 . The computer method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 storing said information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:
 amount of each of said plurality of charges, and 
 number of said plurality of charges; and 
   comparing information received from the originator of said request to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from the originator of said request is correct.   
     
     
         7 . A computer system for authenticating identity of a person, said computer system comprising:
 a memory for storing data and program instructions; and   at least one processor coupled to said memory, said at least one processor programmed to:   receive a request to process a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money, said request comprising data identifying a particular financial instrument;   divide the predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   cause said financial instrument to be debited with each of said plurality of charges;   receive information relating to said plurality of charges from an originator of said request; and   authenticate said identity of said person only if said information is correct.   
     
     
         8 . The computer system according to  claim 7 , wherein the sum of said plurality of charges is equal to said predetermined amount of money. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to authenticate said identity of said person by storing in memory a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to associate with said unique identifier in memory one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein authenticating said identify of said person is for the purpose of executing a contract or record. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to:
 store in memory information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:   amount of each of said plurality of charges, and   number of said plurality of charges; and   compare said information received from the originator of said request to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from the originator of said request is correct.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing therein instructions that when performed by a processor to authenticate identity of a person, cause a computer to:
 receive a request to process a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money, said request comprising data identifying a particular financial instrument;   divide the predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   cause said financial instrument to be debited with each of said plurality of charges;   receive information relating to said plurality of charges from an originator of said request; and   authenticate said identity said person only if said information is correct.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product according to  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to determine said plurality of charges such that the sum of said plurality of charges is equal to said predetermined amount of money. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to authenticate said identity of said person by storing a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to store associated with said unique identifier one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein authenticating said identify of said person is for the purpose of executing a contract or record. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to:
 store said information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:   amount of each of said plurality of charges, and   number of said plurality of charges; and   compare said information received from the originator of said request to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from the originator of said request is correct.   
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method for authenticating identity of a person, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform the steps of:
 receiving a request to authenticate said identity of said person by a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money;   dividing said predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   providing said plurality of charges to facilitate debiting of said financial instrument with each of said plurality of charges;   receiving information relating to said plurality of charges, said information originating from a user of said financial instrument after said plurality of charges has been debited to said financial instrument; and   authenticating said identity of said person only if said received information is correct.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the sum of said plurality of charges is equal to said predetermined amount of money. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the party performing the computer-implemented method is provided with insufficient information to enable identification of said financial instrument. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , comprising the further step of storing a currency exchange rate associated with said transaction. 
     
     
         23 . The computer method of  claim 19 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person comprises storing a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         24 . The computer method of  claim 23 , wherein the method further comprising storing associated with said unique identifier one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         25 . The computer implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person is for the purpose of executing a contract or record. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , comprising the further steps of:
 storing information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:
 amount of each of said plurality of charges, and 
 number of said plurality of charges; and 
   comparing said information received from said user to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from said user is correct.   
     
     
         27 . A computer system for authenticating identity of a person, said computer system comprising:
 a memory for storing data and program instructions; and   at least one processor coupled to said memory, said at least one processor programmed to:
 receive a request to authenticate said identity of said person by a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money; 
   divide said predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   provide said plurality of charges to facilitate debiting of said financial instrument with each of said plurality of charges;   receive information relating to said plurality of charges, said information originating from a user of said financial instrument after said plurality of charges has been debited to said financial instrument; and   authenticate said identity of said person only if said received information is correct.   
     
     
         28 . The computer system of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to authenticate said identity of said person by storing in memory a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         29 . The computer system of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to associate with said unique identifier in memory one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         30 . The computer system of  claim 29 , wherein authenticating said identify of said person is for the purpose of executing a contract or record. 
     
     
         31 . The computer system of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one processor is further programmed to:
 store in memory information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:   amount of each of said plurality of charges, and   number of said plurality of charges; and   compare said information received from said user to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from said user is correct.   
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing therein instructions that when performed by a processor to authenticate identity of a person, cause a computer to:
 receive a request to authenticate said identity of said person by a single electronic transaction for a predetermined amount of money;   divide said predetermined amount into a plurality of charges;   provide said plurality of charges to facilitate debiting of said financial instrument with each of said plurality of charges;   receive information relating to said plurality of charges, said information originating from a user of said financial instrument after said plurality of charges has been debited to said financial instrument; and   authenticate said identity of said person only if said received information is correct.   
     
     
         33 . The computer program product of  claim 32 , wherein the sum of said plurality of charges is equal to said predetermined amount of money. 
     
     
         34 . The computer program product of  claim 32 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to authenticate said identity of said person by storing a unique identifier for said person. 
     
     
         35 . The computer program product of  claim 34 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to store associated with said unique identifier one or more of:
 IP address of said person,   email address of said person,   phone number of said person,   amounts of each of said plurality of charges,   electronic routable address of said person,   information relating to a device used by said person, and   Personal Identification Number (PIN) nominated by said person.   
     
     
         36 . The computer program product of  claim 32 , wherein said instructions further cause said computer to:
 store in memory information relating to said plurality of charges comprising one or more of the group consisting of:   amount of each of said plurality of charges, and   number of said plurality of charges; and
 compare said information received from said user to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges to determine whether said information received from said user is correct. 
   
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said information received from the originator of said request comprises the amount of each of said plurality of charges each modified by a single currency exchange rate, and said method comprises the further steps of:
 converting each of said plurality of charges to a respective charge ratio by dividing each of said plurality of charges by the predetermined amount;   storing each of said charge ratios;   converting each of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges to a respective value ratio by dividing each of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges by the sum of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges,   wherein comparing said information received from the originator of said request to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges comprises comparing said value ratios to said stored charge ratios,   wherein said received information is correct if each of said value ratios matches a respective said stored charge ratio within a predefined margin of error.   
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein said received information received from said user comprises the amount of each of said a-plurality of each modified by a single currency exchange rate, and said method comprises the further steps of:
 converting each of said plurality of charges to a respective charge ratio by dividing each of said plurality of charges by the predetermined amount;   storing each of said charge ratios;   converting each of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges to a respective value ratio by dividing each of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges by the sum of said received amount of each of said plurality of charges,   wherein comparing said information received from said user to said stored information relating to said plurality of charges comprises comparing said value ratios to said stored charge ratios,   wherein said received information is correct if each of said value ratios matches a respective said stored charge ratio within a predefined margin of error.   
     
     
         39 . A computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person is for an electronic signature associated with said contract or record. 
     
     
         40 . A computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said information comprises the amount of each of said plurality of charges that represent one time keys. 
     
     
         41 . A computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is applied to individual transactions. 
     
     
         42 . A computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , wherein authenticating said identity of said person is for an electronic signature associated with said contract or record. 
     
     
         43 . A computer implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein said information comprises the amount of each of said plurality of charges that represent one time keys. 
     
     
         44 . A computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the method is applied to individual transactions.