Systems and methods for verifying attributes of users of online systems

Abstract

For sharing of information in a virtual or online environment, methods and systems are provided which enable verifying attributes of an individual. An individual registered for participation in a virtual or online environment may provide evidence of the attributes from a verification source that exists outside the virtual or online environment. An administrator associated with the virtual or online environment verifies the attributes by receipt of the evidence. Alternatively, the attribute for the individual may be verified after receipt of one or more signals indicating individuals registered for participation in the virtual or online environment have corroborated the attributes. A verification indication for an attribute may be shared with other individuals in the virtual or online environment.

1 . A mobile phone that exists as part of a system that enables sharing of information in an online environment,
 wherein the mobile phone comprises a display, a wireless network interface, random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and a plurality of computer programs, wherein the mobile phone exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment includes one or more server computers that are not mobile phones, wherein the online environment includes one or more merchant computers, wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between a user and a plurality of merchants, and wherein the mobile phone is configured to
 register a user for participation in the online environment, wherein the user registered for participation in the online environment is associated with the mobile phone; 
 send to one or more server computers a credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is sent from the mobile phone, and wherein the credit card attribute value is encrypted by the mobile phone; 
 send to the one or more server computers a name attribute value that pertains to the user's name, wherein the name attribute value is encrypted by the mobile phone; 
 receive from the one or more server computers a verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information; 
 store the virtual payment information in nonvolatile memory on the mobile phone; 
 send to a merchant computer a virtual payment attribute value of the user as part of a transaction, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information, wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the mobile phone to the merchant computer through a wireless connection, and wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of one or more of fingerprint identification information, facial recognition information, iris recognition information, retina recognition information, and a password; and 
 receive from the merchant computer a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user as part of the transaction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value sent from the mobile phone to the merchant computer through a wireless connection is sent in the form of an electromagnetic signal. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of fingerprint identification. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of facial recognition information. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of a password. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile phone is further configured to receive input from the user that authorizes the credit card attribute value of the user to be verified prior to sending to the one or more server computers the credit card attribute value of the user and receive input from the user that authorizes the virtual payment information of the user to be verified prior to sending to the merchant computer the virtual payment attribute value of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is authorized to be verified by the user at or before the time it is sent to the one or more server computers. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile phone of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual payment information stored on the user computer is encrypted, and wherein the virtual payment information is not stored on a server computer. 
     
     
         9 . A system that enables sharing of information in an online environment, comprising:
 means for registering a user for participation in an online environment, wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between the user and a plurality of merchants;   means for receiving an encrypted credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user;   means for receiving an encrypted name attribute value that pertains to the user's name;   means for encrypting and sending the user's credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified and the user's name attribute value to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are the user for whom the credit card attribute value is to be verified;   means for receiving a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources;   means for sending to the user the verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information;   means for sending to a merchant the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information, and wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of one or more of fingerprint identification information, facial recognition information, iris recognition information, retina recognition information, and a password;   means for sending the user's virtual payment attribute value from the merchant to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user is not the user for whom the virtual payment attribute value is to be verified;   means for receiving by the merchant a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user; and   means for receiving by the user the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user; wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute of the user is received from the merchant.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the means for registering a user comprises a display, a wireless network interface, random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and a plurality of computer programs. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is related to the evidence of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user to the merchant through a wireless connection. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user to the merchant through a wireless connection in the form of an electromagnetic signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is authorized to be verified by the user at or before the time it is received at the means for receiving an encrypted credit card attribute value of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user performs verification of the user's credit card attribute value in an automated fashion without human intervention. 
     
     
         16 . A method for enabling sharing of information in an online environment, comprising:
 registering a user for participation in an online environment;   receiving at one or more server computers an encrypted credit card attribute value of the user;   receiving at the one or more server computers an encrypted name attribute value that pertains to the user's name;   encrypting and sending from the one or more server computers the user's credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified and the user's name attribute value to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are the user for whom the credit card attribute value is to be verified;   receiving at the one or more server computers a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources;   sending from the one or more server computers to the user the verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information;   sending to a merchant the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information;   sending the user's virtual payment attribute value from the merchant to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user is not the user for whom the virtual payment attribute value is to be verified;   receiving by the merchant a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user; and   receiving by the user the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user; wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute of the user is received from the merchant.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is related to the evidence of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user to the merchant through a wireless connection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user to the merchant through a wireless connection in the form of an electromagnetic signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is authorized to be verified by the user at or before the time it is received at the one or more server computers.