Product authentication over a payment network

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for authenticating a product over a payment network. A product identifier associated with a product to be authenticated may be included or appended to a conventional authorization request message or clearing message during processing of a payment transaction. The product identifier can be verified at a verification entity to determine whether the product is real or counterfeit. Authorization or settlement of the payment transaction can be approved/processed if the product is determined to be real. Authorization or settlement of the payment transaction can be declined/withheld if the product is determined to be counterfeit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable program code embodied thereon, the computer executable program code configured to cause a computer system to:
 authorize payment for an e-commerce transaction;   include a product identifier in an e-commerce clearing record sent to a clearing system that includes e-commerce information associated with the e-commerce transaction corresponding to an approved authorization record;   validate the e-commerce clearing record and authenticate the product identifier; and   provide reconciliation based on the validated e-commerce clearing record and the authenticated product identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer executable program code configured to cause the computer system to validate the e-commerce clearing record and authenticate the product identifier further causes the computer system to parse the e-commerce clearing record to obtain the product identifier at a clearing system of a payment network. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the computer executable program code configured to cause the computer system to validate the e-commerce clearing record and authenticate the product identifier further causes the computer system to transmit the product identifier to a data repository to allow for a comparison between the product identifier and existing product identifiers maintained within the data repository to ascertain whether a match between the product identifier and one of the existing product identifiers exists. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein the computer executable program code is configured to further cause the computer system to transmit a clearing message. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the computer executable program code is configured to further cause the computer system to initiate payment settlement subsequent to transmission of the clearing message. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the computer executable program code configured to cause the computer system to validate the e-commerce clearing record and authenticate the product identifier further causes the computer system to withhold transmission of the clearing message upon a determination that the product identifier cannot be authenticated. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 6 , wherein the computer executable program code is configured to further cause the computer system to send at least one notification to at least one of a manufacturer a product associated with the product identifier, a distributor of the product associated with the product identifier, and a merchant through which the e-commerce transaction was initiated indicating the determination that the product identifier cannot be authenticated. 
     
     
         8 . A payment network, comprising:
 at least one server; and   at least one memory module storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory module and stored computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the server to:
 parse a payment transaction message associated with a payment transaction to obtain a product identifier associated with a product to be purchased; 
 transmit the product identifier to a verification entity for verification that the product is authentic; 
 upon a determination that the product is authentic transmit a payment transaction response message approving the payment transaction; and 
 upon a determination that the product is counterfeit, transmit a payment transaction response message declining the payment transaction. 
   
     
     
         9 . The payment network of  claim 8 , wherein the product identifier is received via one of a mobile device payment application or a merchant point-of-sale (POS) terminal, and wherein the payment transaction message comprises an authorization request message. 
     
     
         10 . The payment network of  claim 8 , further comprising a clearing system configured to process clearing and settlement associated with the payment transaction subsequent to authorization of the payment transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The payment network of  claim 10 , where the clearing system withholds transmission of a clearing message prior to settlement of the payment transaction upon the determination that the product is counterfeit.