Method for selectively verifying or blocking remote purchase requests

Abstract

Information for remote purchase requests are stored, including an origin, a card number, a requested item identification, and a cost of purchase. Based on a determination of the total cost of remote purchases within a predetermined time period associated with the origin exceeding a pre-determined threshold, blocking the current remote purchase or performing test to determine whether to approve or block the current remote purchase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system to selectively block a remote purchase request in which a purchaser attempts to make a remote purchase of an item from a vendor, the computer system comprising:
 a memory subsystem to store information for a total cost of remote purchases of an origin derived from remote purchase requests, the remote purchase requests comprising a telephone number or Internet address representing an origin of the purchase request, a card number, and a requested item identification;   a data input subsystem to receive a current remote purchase request, wherein the current remote purchase request originates from the origin;   a logic subsystem to:   determine whether the total cost of remote purchases associated with the origin within a pre-determined time period prior to and including the current remote purchase request, exceeds a pre-determined threshold total cost of remote purchases,
 block the current remote purchase request responsive to the total cost of remote purchases from the origin within the pre-determined time period prior to and including the remote purchase request, exceeding the pre-determined threshold total cost of purchases for the origin, and 
 perform one or more tests to determine whether to approve or block the current remote purchase request responsive to the total cost of purchases from the origin within the pre-determined time period prior to and including the remote purchase request, not exceeding the pre-determined threshold total cost of purchases for the origin. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic subsystem determines whether the number of items in the remote purchase requests from the origin in a same class as a requested item in the current remote purchase request, exceeds a pre-determined threshold number of items for the class. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the logic subsystem is configured to block the remote purchase request responsive to the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin exceeding the pre-determined threshold number of items for the class. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the logic subsystem:
 determines whether the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin within the pre-determined time period, exceeds a pre-determined threshold number of items for the class during the pre-determined time period; and   blocks the current remote purchase request responsive to the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin within the pre-determined time period, exceeding the pre-determined threshold number of items for the class during the pre-determined time period.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the logic subsystem:
 determines whether the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin within the pre-determined time period including the number of items in the current purchase request, exceeds the predetermined threshold of items for the class during the pre-determined time period   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic subsystem determines whether the total cost of remote purchases exceeds the pre-determined threshold prior to a merchant sending the remote purchase request to a card issuer for approval and processing. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic subsystem blocks the remote purchase request from being sent to the card issuer. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic subsystem determines whether the origin comprises a telephone. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the logic subsystem blocks the current remote purchase request responsive to the origin comprising a telephone. 
     
     
         10 . A computer implemented method for selectively blocking a remote purchase request in which a purchaser attempts to make a remote purchase of an item from a vendor, the method comprising:
 storing information for a total cost of remote purchases of an origin derived from remote purchase requests, the purchase requests, the remote purchase requests comprising a telephone number or Internet address representing an origin of the purchase request, a card number, and a requested item identification;   receiving a current remote purchase request, wherein the current remote purchase request originates from the origin;   determining whether the total cost of remote purchases within a pre-determined time period associated with the origin prior to and including the current remote purchase request, exceeds a pre-determined threshold total cost of remote purchases;   blocking the current remote purchase request responsive to the total cost of remote purchases from the origin within the pre-determined time period prior to and including the remote purchase request, exceeding the pre-determined threshold total cost of purchases for the origin; and   performing one or more tests to determine whether to approve or block the current remote purchase request responsive to the total cost of purchases from the origin within the pre-determined time period prior to and including the remote purchase request not exceeding the pre-determined threshold total cost of purchases for the origin.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining whether the number of items in the remote purchase requests from the origin in a same class as a requested item in the current remote purchase request, exceeds a pre-determined threshold number of items for the class. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising blocking the remote purchase request responsive to the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin exceeding the pre-determined threshold number of such items. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determination of whether the number of items in remote purchase requests from the origin in a same class as the requested item, exceeds a pre-determined threshold number of such items comprises:
 determining whether the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin within the pre-determined time period, exceeds the pre-determined threshold number of items for the class during the pre-determined time period.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the blocking step comprises blocking the current remote purchase request responsive to the number of items in the same class as the requested item purchased from the origin within the pre-determined time period, exceeding the pre-determined threshold number of items for the class during the pre-determined time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the number of items in the same class as the requested item includes the number of said item in the remote purchase request. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determination step is performed prior to a merchant sending the remote purchase request to a card issuer for approval and processing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the blocking step comprises blocking the remote purchase request from being sent to the card issuer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining whether the origin comprises a telephone.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 blocking the current remote purchase request responsive to the origin comprising a telephone.