Reuse of an EBP Account Through Alternate Authentication

Abstract

A technique for accessing an electronic commerce service is provided in which information associated with a subscriber's account with an electronic commerce service is stored along with first subscriber credentials for that subscriber to access the services. An account is created during enrollment. The enrollment is associated with a first electronic commerce participant, i.e., a biller or a payee. A request for the subscriber to access an electronic commerce service in association with a second electronic commerce participant is received. Without the subscriber, or any other entity providing the credentials, the subscriber is granted access to the requested service utilizing the account established in association with the first participant. This access is granted based upon the subscriber providing information other than credentials, the provided information being information stored by the service provider in association with the enrollment.

1 . A method, comprising executing computer-implemented instructions performed by one or more processors to:
 receive, by a service provider via a first communication session established between the service provider and a customer of a first partner of the service provider, enrollment information associated with the customer, wherein the first communication session is established as a result of the customer selecting a first link presented to the customer by the first partner;   enroll, the customer as a subscriber of the service provider based on the received enrollment information, wherein enrolling includes establishing an account for the subscriber with the service provider and storing information associated with the subscriber, the stored information including the enrollment information and access credentials;   receive, by the service provider via a second communication session established between the service provider and the subscriber, a request to access an electronic commerce service of the service provider, wherein the second communication session is established as a result of the subscriber selecting a second link presented to the subscriber by a second partner of the service provider;   receive, from the subscriber via the second communication session and subsequent to receiving the request, subscriber identifying information, wherein the subscriber identifying information does not comprise the access credentials;   match the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information; and   grant the subscriber access to the electronic commerce service of the service provider through the previously established account.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access credentials are further associated with at least one of (i) the first partner or (ii) the service provider. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access credentials are unknown to the subscriber. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing additional computer-implemented instructions to:
 transmit the access credentials to the subscriber responsive to matching the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing additional computer-implemented instructions to:
 transmit, to the subscriber and responsive to the request, an authentication query presentation comprising at least one prompt for subscriber identifying information,   wherein the subscriber identifying information is received responsive to transmitting the authentication query presentation.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the access credentials are first access credentials, and the request includes second access credentials, and further comprising executing further computer-implemented instructions to:
 determine that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider,   wherein the authentication query presentation is transmitted responsive to determining that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access credentials are first access credentials, and the request includes second access credentials, and further comprising executing additional computer-implemented instructions to:
 determine that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider; and   store the second access credentials in association with the stored enrollment information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access credentials are first access credentials, and further comprising executing additional computer-implemented instructions to:
 generate second access credentials responsive to matching the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information; and   store the second access credentials in association with the stored enrollment information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber identifying information comprises at least one of (i) an email address or (iii) funding account information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing additional computer-implemented instructions to:
 transmit, to the subscriber subsequent to granting the subscriber access to the service provider, a transaction history presentation comprising a transaction associated with the first partner.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 at least one communications interface associated with a site of a service provider and that (i) receives, via a first communication session established between the service provider and a customer of a first partner of the service provider, enrollment information associated with the customer, wherein the first communication session is established as a result of the customer selecting a first link presented to the customer by the first service provider, and wherein the enrollment information facilitates the enrollment of the customer as a subscriber of the service provider and the establishment of access credentials for the subscriber, (ii) receives via a second communication session established between the service provider and the subscriber, a request to access an electronic commerce service of the service provider, wherein the second communication session is established as a result of the subscriber selecting a second link presented to the subscriber by a second partner of the service provider, and (iii) receives, from the subscriber via the second communication session and subsequent to receiving the request, subscriber identifying information, wherein the subscriber identifying information does not comprise the access credentials; and   at least one processor associated with the service provider and programmed (i) to enroll the subscriber with the service provider during the first communication session to establish an account for the subscriber with the service provider, (ii) to store, in a memory, enrollment information associated with the subscriber, including the access credentials for the subscriber, (iii) to receive the subscriber identifying information from the at least one communications interface, (iv) to match the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information, and (v) to grant the subscriber access to the electronic commerce service of the service provider through the previously established account.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the access credentials are further associated with at least one of (i) the first partner or (ii) the service provider. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the access credentials are unknown to the subscriber. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one communications interface further transmits the access credentials to the subscriber responsive to the at least one processor matching the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information, and
 wherein the at least one processor is further operable to direct the at least one communications interface to transmit the access credentials to the subscriber.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the at least one communications interface further transmits, to the subscriber and responsive to the request, an authentication query presentation comprising at least one prompt for subscriber identifying information,   the at least one processor is further programmed to direct the at least one communications interface to transmit the authentication query presentation, and   the subscriber identifying information is received responsive to transmitting the authentication query presentation.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the access credentials are first access credentials,   the request includes second access credentials,   the at least one processor is further programmed to determine that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider, and   the authentication query presentation is transmitted by the at least one communications interface responsive to the at least one processor determining that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the access credentials are first access credentials,   the request includes second access credentials, and   the at least one processor is further programmed (i) to determine that the second access credentials are unknown to the service provider, and (ii) to store the second access credentials in association with the stored enrollment information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the access credentials are first access credentials, and   the at least one processor is further programmed (i) to generate second access credentials responsive to matching the received subscriber identifying information with the stored enrollment information, and (ii) to store the second access credentials in association with the stored enrollment information.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the subscriber identifying information comprises at least one of (i) an email address or (iii) funding account information. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one communications interface further transmits, to the subscriber subsequent to the at least one processor granting the subscriber access to the service provider, a transaction history presentation comprising a transaction associated with the first partner.