System and method for loading stored value accounts

Abstract

A system and method are provided which allow users to load stored value accounts through online bill payment. The system and method do not rely on the user loading the stored value account sharing online banking login information or account number/routing information. In an aspect, the method includes a user selecting online banking as a payment option, receiving a bill for the load amount, paying the bill through online banking bill pay, the system receiving notification from the bank of an online banking bill payment and the system notifying the stored value account provider of the payment. The cash settlement is released to a stored value account provider in response to load request.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gateway system for loading funds to a stored value account provider from a bill payment system associated with a user, the gateway system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory storage medium having instructions thereon, the instructions executable by the processor for:
 receiving a load request, wherein the load request includes load request information, wherein the load request information includes a stored value account identifier associated with a stored value account and an amount of funds to load to the stored value account; 
 sending a bill to a bill payment system of which a user is a subscriber, wherein the bill includes the amount of funds to load and an indication of the stored value account identifier; 
 receiving a payment notification from the bill payment system that indicates that payment has been made; 
 causing a first payment to be made from a first account associated with the gateway system to a second account associated with the stored value account provider; 
 wherein the identifier associated with the stored value account comprises an account number of the second account; and 
 wherein causing a first payment to be made from a first account associated with the gateway system to a second account associated with the stored value account provider occurs in response, at least in part, to receiving a second payment from a third account associated with the user to the first account associated with the gateway system.