MXPA97009350A - Telephone card prepaid reimbursement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refundable prepaid telephone card [302] comprising an identification code [306] that relates to a prepaid account. The instrument that provides the identification code is accompanied by a second instrument or a separable portion [304] that includes a replacement code [310]. The instrument of the replacement code is kept separate from the instrument wthe identification code after the purchase. In the event that the instrument wthe identification code is lost or stolen, the owner can contact the supplier wthe replacement code. Upon receipt of the replacement code, the provider cancels the original card and replaces it or reimburses the owner.

Description

PREPAID REIMBURSABLE TELEPHONE CARD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a system and method for securely issuing prepaid instruments such as prepaid telephone cards that can be replaced if they are lost or stolen and more particularly to a prepaid card carrying an authorization code [account identification code], the card must be issued along with a second document containing a replacement code to be used by the customer to report lost or stolen prepaid cards. Prepaid credit instruments in general are well known, prepaid remote memory phone cards are particularly prevalent in a variety of ways, including promotional advertisements, plastic cards and cardboard in pocket size and the like. A prepaid phone card typically has the information necessary to make long-distance telephone calls. In particular, a prepaid phone card includes an access telephone number, for example an 800 number used to access the prepaid calling system. The card also includes a unique certification code or an ID identification code that is used to access a particular account, the account is usually stored in a remote database resident in the prepaid calling card service provider. Finally, the card includes instructions for making long distance calls, whether national or international. These prepaid cards are typically sold in predetermined denominations, for example $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50 and the like. In addition, these cards are often sold in stores and wholesale distributors, the way lottery tickets are sold. This being the case, it would be prohibitively expensive for many small stores, particularly low-volume merchants, to compare a large number of cards of an issuer and keep them in inventory until the cards are purchased at retail by the customers. To help these merchants, issuers provide merchants with lots of cards but do not activate a particular card until the card is sold, at which time the merchant is obliged to pay the issuer. This protects the merchant from having to pay in advance a large number of cards that are likely to take time to sell or not be sold. By placing these cards in the merchant's position before receiving the merchant's payment, however, the issuer is in danger of fraud by the merchant. For example, if the merchant has prepaid cards that he has not paid, it would theoretically be possible for the merchant to use the ID numbers on the cards or disclose them to third parties to defraud the issuer.

To protect the issuer from fraudulent activity by merchants or other people in the distribution chain, many prepaid cards are packed in an envelope that covers the ID code, or in a manner that otherwise covers the ID code up to moment when the card is purchased by the customer; At the time of purchase, the card is "active", for example when the merchant communicates with the issuer's host computer, indicating that the card has been purchased by a customer and activating the card on the host computer • For example, a popular method of distributing Prepaid cards include the printing among other things of a unique ID identification code on the face of the card and placing the card in an envelope stamped by the issuer or manufacturer.A localization number is printed on the outside of the sealed envelope. some distribution schemes the tracking number is cryptographically related to the identification code, the issuer having the cryptographic key, in this way when the issuer is informed of the tracking number by the merchant at the time of selling a card to a customer, the issuer can decipher the ID code corresponding to that card and activate the corresponding account. Alternatively, the tracking number and the ID code may be related by means of a reference table to a related database maintained on the issuer's host computer. Once the customer has purchased a card from a merchant and the merchant facilitates the activation of the card by means of communication with the card issuer, the responsibility for theft or loss of the card is typically from the consumer. For example, if the consumer loses their card or if it is stolen, one can assume that the consumer can call the issuer and report the card as stolen or lost, and ask the issuer to deactivate the account by preventing fraud. Although this is certainly true, the issuer could not refund a new number to the customer or otherwise provide credit to the consumer of the lost card, this is because the person who steals or finds the lost card would also have access to the ID code, since the ID code is printed on the face of the card. Consequently the person who finds or steals the card, relates the identification code to the issuer and requests a refund or a new identification code. Thus, the replacement or reimbursement schemes based on the knowledge of the ID code printed on the card would not be practical. It has also been suggested that the consumer could keep a record of the search number associated with the card as long as the person who stole it or found it will have access to the identification code, but not the search number. Thus it could be argued that the consumer should be able to contact the issuer and report the card as lost or stolen, requesting a credit or refund based on the search number which the issuer can discern or determine the identification code and / or the account number . This attempt, however, has also failed since it exposes the issuer to fraud by the merchant. More particularly, the search number is printed on the outside of the envelope within which the card is sealed before being sold, it is accessible to the merchant; In fact the merchant must typically use the search number in order to activate the account for a particular card at the time the card is sold. Thus, reimbursement, credit or replacement schemes based on knowledge of the search number are also not practicable. Thus, a secure system is required for issuing prepaid or other telephone instruments that overcome the limitations of the prior art, particularly as regards the ability of the issuer to securely provide the replacement, credit or refund with respect to the lost or stolen cards. A secure means is provided for issuing prepaid telephone cards and other instruments that overcome many of the disadvantages associated with the prior art schemes. In particular, the present invention provides a scheme that allows the issuer of prepaid instruments to safely provide a credit, replacement or refund to a buyer of the lost or stolen prepaid instrument. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a remote memory prepaid card is provided which includes instructions for accessing prepaid items or services. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, these instructions are in the form of a telephone number for accessing the prepaid telephone accounting service provider network, a unique identification code associated with a particular card and therefore associated with a particular prepaid telephone account, and instructions for making national and / or international telephone calls that have to be deducted from the prepaid account. According to another aspect of the invention, at the time of purchase of the prepaid card the customer also receives a second replacement code that is advantageously associated with the identification code on the card. In a preferred embodiment the replacement code is printed on a document or instrument that is physically different or separable from the card, instrument or document on which the identification code is printed, both the card [carrying the identification code] and the associated document [bearing the replacement code] is sold together, preferably in a manner that covers one or both of the merchant's numbers, for example by distributing both the card and the replacement instrument in a sealed sealed envelope or other secure packaging. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, both the identification code and the replacement code are printed on a single receipt issued by an automatic ATM machine or a POS terminal, such that the replacement code portion of the instrument it can be separated from the portion of the instrument that carries the identification code. By physically decoupling the ID code replacement code, a consumer can report the theft or loss of a prepaid card based only on the replacement code; Significantly, the person who stole or found the lost card will not be able to obtain credit, refund or replacement until they have access to the replacement code. In addition, by covering the replacement code in a sealed envelope, covering the replacement code with a removable cover, or any other means of security, the issuer is substantially protected from theft by the merchant. According to another aspect of the present invention, a third search number that is related to one or both of the identification codes and / or replacement code may also be placed on the outside of the sealed envelope or in a manner that could otherwise be Be read by the merchant, to allow the merchant to activate an account at the time the card is purchased by a customer. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a prepaid telephone card equipped in a manner with a local memory mechanism, so that the remaining balance in the account associated with the card as well as other important information can be conveniently encoded in a local memory mechanism in the card. For example, a microprocessor or a ram may be included in the card, for example it is known in the context of "smart cards", which can serve as local memory Alternatively, a mechanical strip can be used to mechanically code information related to the bill directly on the card The present invention will be described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which like numbers refer to like elements, and: Figure IA is a schematic front elevational view of a sealed envelope contains a prepaid card and a replacement instrument, shown in phantom lines within the sealed envelope according to one aspect of the present invention; Figure IB is a detailed view of the prepaid card of Figure 1; Figure IC is a detailed view of the replacement instrument shown in Figure 1; Figure 2 is an exemplary combined prepaid card / replacement card of the type printed by an automatic machine in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a prepaid card carrying an identification code removably displayed on the replacement instrument. Referring now to Figure 1, a security system for issuing prepaid instruments suitably comprises a prepaid telephone card 104 and a separate replacement document 106, both advantageously secured in a sealed envelope 102. In this context it is envisaged that a plurality of sealed envelopes similar to envelope 102 could be provided by the issuer of prepaid cards to each merchant, after which merchants would distribute prepaid cards to customers in the name of the issuer. Each time a merchant sells an envelope 102 to the customer, the merchant must activate the account corresponding to the card, for example by communicating the search number that may appear on the outside of the envelope to the issuer, after which the host computer of the issuer activates the account. Alternatively, a merchant could simply buy envelopes from the issuer, after which each respective account will be activated at the time the merchant purchases the cards from the issuer; This would avoid the need to activate the cards at the time of sale. This could be particularly advantageous for example in the context of sales by slot machines in which post-sale activation could be problematic. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the prepaid card 104 suitably includes all the information necessary to allow a customer to withdraw from the prepaid account. In the context of the preferred embodiment mentioned herein, the account corresponds to a prepaid long distance telephone bill and the prepaid instrument corresponds to a prepaid long distance telephone card. however, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited in this sense; for example, virtually any type of prepaid arrangement can be affected by the use of the scheme described here, including prepaid items and services of virtually any type. In this respect the "articles" can be related to data and information that can be sold through a data network, telephone network and even the Internet. With particular reference to figures IB and IC, the prepaid instrument 104 is suitably printed at a telephone number by means of which the consumer can have access to the service network operated by the service provider. By dialing the access telephone number [for example a telephone number 800], the consumer enters the identification code printed on the prepaid instrument, for example in response to a voice or signal from the host computer of the service provider. Upon receiving the identification number, the service provider's host computer searches its database to determine if there are sufficient "funds" in the account to allow the consumer to place a long distance call. If there are none, the consumer is informed that their account is empty, and they are invited to buy a new prepaid card or make other arrangements to pay the long distance charges for this particular call. If the prepaid account has sufficient funds available to allow the long distance call, the consumer enters the telephone number of their desired destination, for example in response to a voice or warning from the host computer. The consumer will then connect to their destination, and may extend their long distance call until the available funds in their account are exhausted. One of the main advantages of the existing schemes of prepaid cards includes the convenience for the user; this is the user only needs to carry the card to make long distance telephone calls from virtually any phone. The disadvantage, however, of this scheme is that anyone who finds a stolen or lost card can defraud the client of the funds available in the account corresponding to the recovered card, while the identification code is printed on the face of the card; consequently, in currently known systems, the consumer typically runs the risk of losing or suffering the theft of his card. A primary advantage associated with the present invention relates to the issuer's ability to provide the consumer with a replacement identification code, or alternatively with the refund or credit for a lost or stolen card. According to one aspect of the invention, an issuer's ability to provide credit, refund or replacement is not limited to the ability of the consumer to say all of the identification code on the card; rather, a consumer seeks to replace a lost or stolen card based on a separate replacement code that is printed on a document that is advantageously separated from the prepaid card that carries the identification code. In particular, an exemplary replacement document 106 suitably includes a replacement code printed on it, which may be retained by the consumer in a separate location from the prepaid card 104. If desired, the replacement document 106 may also include a name and telephone number that the client could use to report lost or stolen prepaid cards. In order to demonstrate the utility of the present invention, a typical scenario that includes the safe replacement of the scheme of the present invention will now be described. During the manufacture of the prepaid assembly the issuer produces the prepaid card 104 and the replacement document 106, such that the identification code of the prepaid card relates to the replacement code in the replacement document according to a secret relationship. known only by the issuer. For example, the identification code and the replacement code may be related cryptographically, or related by means of a reference table or other relationship scheme maintained on the host computer of the service provider. If a search number is used on the outside of the envelope within which the prepaid card and the replacement document are stamped, the search number must also relate to at least one of the identification codes and the replacement code, by example to allow activation of the account corresponding to the identification code at the appropriate time. The fabrication then places the prepaid card 104 and the replacement document 106 in an envelope 102, and seals the envelope before sending it to a customer. By sealing the replacement code within the envelope, the parties in the distribution chain [including the merchant] can not detect the replacement code and thus substantially prevent merchant fraud and other fraud against the issuer. This is if a merchant could detect the replacement code before the sale of the assembly to a customer, the merchant or an employee of the merchant could call the issuer and request replacement, refund or the like. When a consumer wishes to purchase a prepaid card, whether from a merchant, a down payment machine or the like, he simply presents the payment in the form of cash, check, credit card, or the like to the merchant in exchange for the sealed envelope 102. merchant has not paid the issuer for the assembly it will be appropriate for the merchant to activate the account upon receiving the consumer's payment. As described above, the merchant can communicate to the issuer the search number that can be printed outside the envelope, to cause the issuer to activate the account corresponding to the card inside the envelope. Alternatively, prepaid cards and associated replacement instruments may be distributed by organizations connected to sales and marketing promotions, or put the cards in the hands of consumers for virtually any other reason and through virtually any other distribution modality. Once the consumer has a prepaid card 104 and the replacement card 106, the consumer should desirably retain the replacement instrument in a safe place away from the calling card. So if the card to call 104 is lost or stolen, the person with the card does not have access to the replacement code. In fact, if the thief or the person who finds the card [or even the client or merchant] tries to report the card as stolen based on the identification of the card only, the issuer may at its discretion cancel or deactivate the account; however, the issuer in accordance with the present scheme would preferably not grant replacement, credit or reimbursement to a person who only has a position of the identification code; thus only the person with the replacement code can receive the refund or replacement. As I mentioned briefly before, since the replacement code is hidden from the merchant until the card was purchased by the consumer, nor the merchant has access to the replacement code. Consequently only the consumer who legally owns the replacement code may require a refund. It is clear that if the consumer also loses the replacement code or is stolen, the person in the replacement code position may seek replacement or reimbursement from the issuer; however, according to one aspect of the invention, one would give the consumer instruction to carry the card with him, but leave the replacement card in a safe place at home or office or the like. Once the consumer has determined that their card has been stolen or has been lost, simply contact the issuer, for example at a telephone number printed on the replacement instrument 106, and report the replacement code to the issuer, the issuer will take any appropriate action including giving the speaker a new identification code through the telephone; send a new identification code or identification card to the customer by mail; credit the amount in the customer's checking account, credit card, debit card or similar; or the issuer could pay cash to the customer, either through an ATM or if the customer goes to a subsidiary of the issuing entity.

Referring now to Figure 2, an alternative embodiment of the present invention suitably comprises a "receipt" 202 of the type that can be conveniently by an ATM, a POS terminal and the like, in this respect reference is made to the patent application of USA do not. of series no. of the inventor John M. Tas ett, presented at the same time as this one. Continuing with the reference to Figure 2, an alternative method of issuing secure calling cards includes a printed instrument 202, for example in response to an interactive request from a customer, in an automatic machine such as an ATM. As shown in Figure 2, the instrument 202 suitably comprises printed instructions in order to make long-distance or de facto telephone calls to take advantage of the prepaid account in any desirable context, for example in the context of article, service delivery. or similar. In the context of the prepaid telephone card shown in Figure 2, the information necessary for the consumer to make long distance calls is presented. In particular, ee shows an authorization code [analogous to the identification code shown in figure IB] that is different from the replacement code shown on the bottom of instrument 202. in this way, the automatic machine, the POS terminal, or any other suitable apparatus only requires printing a sheet of paper which the consumer can peel off on the dotted [or perforated] line 203. after separating the portion of the replacement code from the remainder of the instrument 202, the portion of the replacement code can be maintained by of the connector in a safe place away from the instrument 202 that would presumably be a carrier for the consumer like any other prepaid card. In the event that the portion of the prepaid card is lost or stolen, the consumer will seek its portion of replacement code and contact the issuer as described above. Referring now to Figure 3, another alternative embodiment of the present invention suitably comprises a composite assembly 302, which consists of an identification code portion 306 and a replacement code portion 304, for example separated by a line dotted perforated or any other suitable separation mechanism 308. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the replacement code is advantageously covered, for example, by retracting the concealing surface 310. According to an aspect of the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3 , a sealed envelope is not necessary as long as the replacement code can be hidden from the merchant and in fact from any other person in the distribution chain, until the compiled assembly 302 is purchased by a customer. know that they should not buy the assembly if the replacement code is visible, thus reducing customer fraud against the sender. By purchasing a composite assembly 302, for example in a slot machine, with a merchant or eimilaree, the subscriber erodes the replacement code portion 304 of the prepaid call portion 306, and stores the replacement code in a secure location. The portion of the calling card 306, analogous to the prepaid card 104 in figure IB, can then be carried and used by the customer as described above. In the event that the portion 306 is lost or stolen, the consumer may seek the replacement portion 304 and scrape the surface 310 to reveal the replacement code and contact the issuer for a replacement, refund or similar. Another disadvantage associated with the modality shown in Figure 3 relates to the elimination of the need for a separate search number as shown in Figure 1. Remember that the search number in the modality shown in Figure 1 is advantageously to allow the client to activate the account after selling the assembly to the customer, keeping the hidden replacement code of the merchant to prevent that fraud, in the manner shown in figure 3, the replacement code is physically hidden from the merchant until the composite assembly 302 is purchased by a customer; This eliminates the need for a sealed envelope, and since the replacement code remains hidden from the merchant regardless of the absence of the sealed envelope, the identification code could be used to activate the account. Once the account is activated, it can be executed by any person who possesses the identification code, including the merchant and any other person in the chain of distribution. Beyond the issuer's point of view, the modality shown in Figure 3 is particularly appropriate in circum- stance where the issuer receives payment of the assembly at the moment it leaves the sender's position, for example in applications in slot machines. and similar. Alternatively, the composite assembly 302 may also include a search number [not shown] that is different from the identification code and the replacement code. In this case it may be desirable to also cover the identification code, for example through the use of a scraping service, to prevent the merchant from committing fraud against the issuer. By placing a search number directly on the surface of the assembly, packaging and distribution costs can be minimized since the important number of numbers [identification code, replacement code and search number] all appear on a piece of paper or carbon simple though maybe perforated. Regardless of the particular manner in which the card and the replacement document are packaged, whether in the manner shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 or otherwise, it may also be desirable to include some form of application for purchase [PAF] that determines any of the terms and conditions of sale and more particularly the terms and conditions in which they handle the replacement or re-boosting of the card that is lost, more particularly, conventional traveler's checks frequently include as part of the Purchase document a PAF that determines the general parameters for the replacement of traveler's checks. For example, it can be determined that a card will be reimbursed by the issuer and certain conditions are met, such as a requirement that the consumer keep the replacement document in a separate place from the card, so that if the document Replacement is also lost or stolen along with the card, the issuer is released from the responsibility of replacement, refund and similar. It would also be desirable for the Paf to include those terms and conditions that would limit the issuer's obligations to replace or reimburse, for example if the consumer stops calling within a specified period of time from the date the card was lost or stolen. In the context of the present invention, such PAF could be printed on the outer envelope [figure 1] or it can consist of a separate sheet of paper that is separable from either the calling card, the replacement document or any other form convenient. Finally, it will be understood that one of the functions of the replacement code here is to provide the issuer with a sufficient indication of the reliability of the fact that the card was lost and / or stolen, and that the consumer desires replacement or a refund. . However, almost any criterion can be used almost any sufficient indication of credibility by an issuer to prove to the satisfaction of the issuer that the consumer who is reporting the loss / theft is the legal owner of the card. For example even if the replacement code is lost or can not be remembered by the consumer, if the consumer can show otherwise that he was the buyer of the card, the issuer may wish to grant a refund or replacement. For example if the consumer travels on vacation, and his document is in the case or in the office, it may be sufficient for the consumer to explain to the issuer where and when the card was purchased giving the issuer a sufficiently reliable bank to indicate a refund or replacement. Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the scope of the invention is not limited. For example, information regarding the account balance and other useful information related to the account can be stored directly on the card, for example, in a ram, microprocessor or the like. In those cases it may be possible to maintain a central database on the host computer related to those parameters of the balance remaining on the card, or it may be simple enough to decode the local memory on the card each time the card is used to perform long distance calls. In circumstances where communication is established with the host computer each time the card is used, even cards that have a local memory component can be "canceled" efficiently if they are lost or stolen, since the host computer could authorize the use of the card every time or at least be in a position to prevent unauthorized use, if on the other hand, a scheme is adopted that does not require communication with the host computer before a card is used, it may be desirable to "record" a cancellation message to all places [or some of them] when the card issuer receives a request to cancel the account. In this way, if a card having a local memory is canceled, the terminal on which the card is issued can be configured to refuse to accept the card if the terminal has received a message that the card has been canceled. There are other modifications in the arrangement of the described components and the steps described herein for different modifications of the described prepaid card schemes that can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the appended claims.

Claims (24)

1. CLAIMS 1.- An intrument to have access to fund, which comprises: a portion of account number that has indications associated with an account; a portion of the replacement number that has indications associated with a replacement number corresponding to the account, in which the replacement number portion may be separated from the account number portion.
2. 2. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the replacement code is hidden from the unauthorized view.
3. 3. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the identification code is also hidden until a consumer buys it.
4. 4. The instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a third portion that includes search code that is different from, but related to the identification code and the replacement code.
5. 5. The instrument according to claim 4, wherein the search code is exposed.
6. 6. The intrument according to claim 1, wherein the injector connects a telephone card.
7. 7. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the instrument is purchased in an ATM machine.
8. 8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein the instrument is purchased in a slot machine.
9. 9. The tool according to claim 1, in which the hidden part is concealed by means of a removable surface by scraping.
10. 10. A prepaid calling card assembly, comprising; a calling card that has an identification code printed on it that a consumer must enter on the telephone keypad to access the prepaid telephone account associated with the identification number; a replacement document, physically separated from the card, which has a replacement code printed thereon which is different but related to the identification code according to a relationship kept secret by the user of a card; in which the calling card and the replacement card are securely placed in a sealed envelope until it is purchased by the consumer.
11. 11. The prepaid calling card according to claim 10, wherein the identification code is also hidden until the card is purchased by the consumer.
12. 12. The prepaid calling card according to claim 10, further comprising a search code that is different from, but is related to the identification code and the replacement code, in which the search code is exposed.
13. 13. The prepaid calling card according to claim 10, wherein the search code is printed on the envelope.
14. 14. The prepaid calling card according to claim 13, wherein the hidden portions are hidden by means of a removable surface by scraping.
15. 15. The prepaid calling card according to claim 10, which is purchased in an ATM machine.
16. 16. The prepaid calling card according to claim 10, which is purchased in a slot machine.
17. 17. An instrument to obtain access to funds, comprising: a first portion that includes an identification code that must be entered by a consumer in a computer system to access an account associated with the identification number; a second portion physically separated from the first portion, including a replacement code that is different from the identification code; in which the replacement code is hidden from the socket that a consumer buys the instrument.
18. 18. The instrument according to claim 17, wherein the identification code is also hidden until a consumer buys the instrument.
19. 19. The instrument according to claim 17, which also comprises a third portion that includes a search code that is different but related to the identification code and the replacement code.
20. 20. The intrument according to claim 19, wherein the search code is exposed.
21. 21. The instrument according to claim 17, wherein the instrument consists of a telephone card.
22. 22. The instrument according to claim 17, in which the instrument is purchased in an ATM machine.
23. 23. The instrument according to claim 17, in which the instrument is purchased in a tragamonedae vending machine.
24. 24. The instrument according to claim 17, wherein the hidden portions are hidden by means of a removable surface by scraping.