Secure authentication and payment system

Abstract

The present invention provides a service for allowing secure financial transactions to be carried out, the service involving authenticating a user's identity and/or status as part of a financial transaction with another party and in the event that the user is authenticated arranging for the transaction to be completed without revealing the user's financial details and/or other personal details to that other party. Authentication data and transaction data may be communicated over any suitable communications channel(s). The invention provides a trusted authentication and payment environment that protects a user's financial details, but allows them to be securely authenticated and arranges for transactions to be fulfilled, whilst providing other parties with reassurance that transactions will be completed. In this way, fraud and theft due to misappropriation of financial details can be minimized.

1 . A method of validating a transaction, said method comprising:
 receiving a first specification of said transaction from the first user;   confirming the identity of a person as said first user without requiring input of information associated with and required to complete said payment process;   after confirming said identity of said first user, confirming finance details of said first user for said transaction using information required to complete said payment process;   after confirming said identity and said finance details of said first user, requesting a second specification of said transaction from the second user; and   if the first specification of said transaction and the second specification of said transaction are consistent, completing said payment process.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein confirming the identity of said first user comprises at least receiving biometric information from said person and comparing to biometric information of said first user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said biometric information comprises at least one of a fingerprint or voice sample. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein confirming the identity of said first user comprises a validation approach configured by said first user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said validation approach comprises contacting or requiring said first user on a predetermined device to confirm that said first user is said person involved in said given transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said validation approach comprises selecting a particular credit or debit card and verifying that said particular card is valid. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein confirming the identity of said first user providing an answerback PIN via an SMS message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information related to said given transaction comprises at least account information of said given transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein after confirming one or more accounts of the first user of said given transaction, confirming to a financial entity of said account and receiving confirmation from said financial entity that said account is valid and sufficient to provide said amount. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein confirming finance details of said first user also comprises confirming that said person is said first user using information related to said given transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing notice to said second user of said given transaction does not involve transmitting information about said first user before the subject of said given transaction is ready to change possession from said second user to said first user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said information about said first user is transmitted to said second user once said subject of said given transaction is ready to change possession from said second user to said first user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said information about said first user is a ship-to address. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said ship-to address is encrypted.