Fraud deterred product and service coupons

Abstract

A membership user coupon program for printed and electronic coupons having built-in measures to deter fraud committed by a retailer and/or a consumer during the redemption and/or reimbursement of the coupon. The system and process provide traceability prior to the issuance and/or printing of the coupon, prior to a retailer acceptance of the coupon and at the point of sale.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method to deter consumer/user and retailer fraud on a third party coupon for a provider requiring membership prior to issuance and redemption of the coupon, comprising the steps of: 
 a) bringing and presenting a printed third party coupon by a consumer/user to a retailer;    b) scanning the third party coupon by the retailer;    c) signing up for membership by the consumer/user;    d) entering an assigned identification mark and a member consumer/user password into an interactive online database of a service center or a provider, the interactive online database checking its database to verify the assigned identification mark and password, tying the assigned identification mark and password to a member consumer/user, is approving or disapproving the use of the third party coupon by the member consumer/user;    e) entering a sale or a plurality of sale of a product by the retailer only if payment is made by credit card or a personal bank check;    f) validating payment of the sale by a credit card or a personal bank check;    g) imprinting on the surface of the third party coupon, certificate and identification marks including at least, name of the member consumer/user and proof of sale; and,    h) forwarding a number of gathered imprinted third party coupons generated from the sale or plurality of sale of the product to a service center.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of 
 a) scanning, decoding and validating the third party coupons forwarded by the retailer;  
 b) identifying fraudulent coupons from legitimate coupons;  
 c) preparing a coupon validation report by the service center;  
 d) forwarding the coupon validation report and the gathered third party coupon to the provider;  
 e) reviewing the coupon validation report and the imprinted third party coupons by the provider; and,  
 f) reimbursing the retailer for the amount of the desired coupons.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of auditing the retailer for potential coupon fraud.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the proof of sale is an approved payment made on an entry of sale through a credit card or personal bank check.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information imprinted on the surface of the third party coupon further includes date of purchase and the member consumer/user initial.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information imprinted on the provider coupon further includes an e-mail address.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information imprinted on the provider coupon further includes a member consumer/user spouse's name.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information imprinted on the provider coupon further includes a unique encrypted serial number.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method is insurable.  
     
     
         10 . A method to deter consumer/user and retailer fraud on a third party coupon for a provider not requiring membership prior to issuance and redemption of the coupon, comprising the steps of: 
 a) bringing and presenting a printed third party coupon by a consumer/user to a retailer having the consumer/user's name imprinted on the third party coupon;    b) scanning the third party coupon by the retailer;    c) entering a sale or a plurality of sale of a product by the retailer only if payment is made by credit card or a personal bank check;    d) validating payment of the sale by a credit card or a personal bank check by matching the name imprinted on the third party coupon with the name on the credit card or personal bank check;    e) imprinting on the surface of the third party coupon a proof of sale; and,    f) forwarding a number of gathered imprinted third party coupons generated from the sale or plurality of sale of the product to a service center.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the steps of 
 a) scanning, decoding and validating the third party coupons forwarded by the retailer;  
 b) identifying fraudulent coupons from legitimate coupons;  
 c) preparing a coupon validation report by the service center;  
 d) forwarding the coupon validation report and the gathered third party coupon to the provider;  
 e) reviewing the coupon validation report and the imprinted third party coupons by the provider; and,  
 f) reimbursing the retailer for the amount of the desired coupons.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the proof of sale is a validation and approval of sale by a card provider or if payment by a personal bank check, a check number or a bank account number or both.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the information imprinted on the surface of the third party coupon further includes a date of purchase and the consumer/user initial.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the information imprinted on the provider coupon further includes an e-mail address.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the information imprinted on the provider coupon further includes a unique encrypted serial number.