Account type detection for fraud risk

Abstract

A server computer can provide a merchant or other entity with a payment card (or other payment device) detection service that can determine a level of fraud based on the account type being presented (e.g., credit, debit, prepaid, etc.) at the time of purchase. For example, a payment account number (PAN) can be used to perform a database lookup (e.g., a range lookup) to identify the payment account type, which can then be fed into a fraud detection system. The level of fraud can then be used to determine an authorization result (e.g., accept, reject, or review). A use of a merchant processor computer that implements fraud processing can allow a merchant to implement discounting, acceptance, and/or fraud rules based on the card type.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing an authorization request for a transaction, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a server computer, transaction information and the authorization request for the transaction, the transaction information including a payment account number;   obtaining, by the server computer, a payment account type corresponding to the payment account number;   sending the transaction information and the payment account type to a fraud detection engine of the server computer;   determining, by the fraud detection engine, a level of fraud using the payment account type and the transaction information;   determining an authorization result for the transaction based on the fraud level; and   providing the authorization result.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payment account number includes a bank identification number (BIN) that the server computer uses to obtain the payment account type. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the payment account type includes:
 parsing the payment account number to determine an issuer identifier that includes an account type identifier;   sending a query to an account database, the query including the account type identifier;   receiving the payment account type from the account database.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the issuer identifier includes a bank identifier, and wherein the query includes the bank identifier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the payment account type includes:
 receiving, at the server computer, the payment account type from a merchant computer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the payment account type includes:
 sending an account type request to an account detection service, the account type request including account type identifier of the payment account number;   receiving the payment account type from the account detection service.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 parsing the payment account number to determine an issuer identifier that includes an account type identifier, wherein the account type request includes the issuer identifier and not another part of the payment account number.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the account type request includes the payment account number. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the account detection service is a payment processing network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending the authorization request to an issuer computer; and   receiving an authorization response generated by the issuer computer,   wherein the determination of the level of fraud and the determination of the authorization result of the transaction is based on the authorization response.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 performing a fraud detection prior to sending the authorization request to the issuer computer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the level of fraud is only determined when the authorization response includes an approval. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization result includes accept, reject, or review. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction is for a purchase of goods or services, and wherein the authorization result includes a change in the goods or services being purchased. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the transaction is for a recurring payment, and wherein the change includes an increase in an initial payment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the payment account type is one selected from the group consisting of: a credit account type, a debit account type, or a prepaid account type. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization result is received from a merchant computer, and wherein the server computer is a merchant processor computer. 
     
     
         18 . A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a computer system to process an authorization request for a transaction, the instructions comprising:
 receiving transaction information and the authorization request for the transaction, the transaction information including a payment account number;   obtaining a payment account type corresponding to the payment account number;   determining a level of fraud using the payment account type and the transaction information;   determining an authorization result for the transaction based on the fraud level; and   providing the authorization result.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising one or more processors configured to:
 receive transaction information and the authorization request for the transaction, the transaction information including a payment account number;   obtain a payment account type corresponding to the payment account number;   determine a level of fraud using the payment account type and the transaction information;   determine an authorization result for the transaction based on the fraud level; and   provide the authorization result.