Matching refunds to payment instruments employed in a proxy card transaction

Abstract

Matching refunds to the appropriate payment instrument employed in a proxy card transaction comprises receiving a first payment authorization request for a transaction between a merchant and a user, the payment authorization request comprising an identification of an account of the user and an identifier for the transaction, the user account having associated therewith a plurality of payment instruments available for conducting payment transactions; determining a particular payment instrument with which to conduct the transaction; associating the transaction identifier with the particular payment instruments utilized in the transaction; receiving a first refund instruction to refund all or a portion of a payment amount of the transaction, the first refund instruction comprising the transaction identifier; determining the particular payment instrument associated with the transaction identifier provided in the first refund instruction; and initiating the refund to the particular payment instrument determined to be associated with the transaction identifier.

1 . A computer-implemented method to match refunds to payment instruments, comprising:
 receiving, using one or more computing devices, a first payment authorization request for a transaction between a merchant and a user, the payment authorization request comprising an identification of a user proxy account and an identifier for the transaction, the user proxy account having associated therewith a plurality of payment instruments available for conducting payment transactions;   determining, using the one or more computing devices, a particular payment instrument of the plurality of payment instruments with which to conduct the transaction;   associating, using the one or more computer devices, the transaction identifier with the particular one of the payment instruments utilized in the transaction;   communicating, using the one or more computing devices, a second payment authorization request to a computing system associated with an issuer of the particular payment instrument, requesting authorization to fund the transaction using the particular payment instrument;   receiving, using the one or more computing devices, a first payment authorization from the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment instrument, authorizing funding of the transaction using the particular payment instrument;   communicating, using the one or more computing devices, a second payment authorization authorizing funding of the first payment authorization request based at least in part on the first payment authorization;   receiving, using the one or more computing devices, a first refund instruction to refund at least a portion of a payment amount of the transaction, the first refund instruction comprising the transaction identifier;   determining, using the one or more computer devices, the particular payment instrument associated with the transaction identifier provided in the first refund instruction; and
 initiating, using the one or more computing devices, the refund to the particular payment instrument that is determined as being associated with the transaction identifier. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the initiating step comprises communicating, using the one or more computing devices, a second refund instruction to the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment instrument to refund or a portion of the payment amount of the transaction. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the initiating step comprises retaining, using the one or more computing devices, all or a portion of the payment amount of the transaction for credit against a future transaction involving the particular payment instrument. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, using the one or more computing devices, a notice to the user of the refund. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating step comprises storing the transaction identifier and the associated payment instrument in a database. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises:
 accessing, using the one or more computer devices, the transaction identification in a database of the proxy card system; and   identifying, using the one or more computer devices, the payment instrument associated with the transaction identification.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by a chargeback from the issuer of the particular payment instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by a chargeback from the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by the merchant. 
     
     
         10 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage device having computer-readable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer perform a method to match refunds to payment accounts, the computer-readable program instructions comprising:
 computer program instructions to receive, a first payment authorization request for a transaction between a merchant and a user, the payment authorization request comprising an identification of an account of the user and an identifier for the transaction, the user account having associated therewith a plurality of payment accounts available for conducting payment transactions; 
 computer program instructions to determine a particular payment account of the plurality of payment accounts with which to conduct the transaction; 
 computer program instructions to associate the transaction identifier with the particular one of the payment accounts utilized in the transaction; 
 computer program instructions to communicate a second payment authorization request to a computing system associated with an issuer of the particular payment account, requesting authorization to fund the transaction using the particular payment account; 
 computer program instructions to receive a first payment authorization from the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment account, authorizing funding of the transaction using the particular payment account; 
 computer program instructions to communicate a second payment authorization authorizing funding of the first payment authorization request based at least in part on the first payment authorization; 
 computer program instructions to receive a first refund instruction to refund at least a portion of a payment amount of the transaction, the first refund instruction comprising the transaction identifier; 
 computer program instructions to determine the particular payment account associated with the transaction identifier provided in the first refund instruction; and 
 computer program instructions to communicate initiate the refund to the particular payment account that is determined as being associated with the transaction identifier. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the refund comprises communicating, using the one or more computing devices, a second refund instruction to the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment account to refund all or a portion of the payment amount of the transaction. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the initiating the refund comprises retaining all or a portion of the payment amount of the transaction for credit against a future transaction involving the particular payment account. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , the computer-readable program instructions further comprising computer program instructions to provide a notice to the user of the refund. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the associating the transaction identifier comprises storing the transaction identifier and the associated payment instrument in a database. 
     
     
         15 . A system to use a one-time code to match refunds to payment instruments, the system comprising:
 a storage device;   a network device; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device and the network device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device and that cause the system to:
 receive a first payment authorization request for a transaction between a merchant and a user, the payment authorization request comprising an identification of a user account and an identifier for the transaction, the user account having associated therewith a plurality of payment instruments available for conducting payment transactions; 
 determine a particular payment instrument of the plurality of payment instruments with which to conduct the transaction; 
 associate the transaction identifier with the particular one of the payment instruments utilized in the transaction; 
 receive a first refund instruction to refund at least a portion of a payment amount of the transaction, the first refund instruction comprising the transaction identifier; 
 determine the particular payment instrument associated with the transaction identifier provided in the first refund instruction; and 
 initiate the refund to the particular payment instrument that is determined as being associated with the transaction identifier. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the processor executing further application code instructions that are stored in the storage device and that cause the system to:
 communicate a second payment authorization request to a computing system associated with an issuer of the particular payment instrument, requesting authorization to fund the transaction using the particular payment instrument;   receive a first payment authorization from the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment instrument, authorizing funding of the transaction using the particular payment instrument;   communicate a second payment authorization authorizing funding of the first payment authorization request based at least in part on the first payment authorization;   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by a chargeback from the issuer of the particular payment instrument. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by a chargeback from the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first refund instruction is initiated by the merchant. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein initiating the refund comprises instructions to communicate a second refund instruction to the computing system associated with the issuer of the particular payment instrument to refund all or a portion of the payment amount of the transaction.