Peer to peer email based financial transactions

Abstract

A method for peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction between a first user and a second user that is facilitated by a payment server is disclosed. The method including receiving a money request from a first user, wherein the money request identifies a second user from which money is requested. The method further including transmitting a money request email message to the second user, wherein the money request email includes a token and receiving a response email message to the money request email message, wherein the response email message includes the token. The method further including determining whether the second user is a member based on the received token and an email address associated with the response email message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction between a first user and a second user that is facilitated by a payment server, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a receiver, a money request from a first user, wherein the money request identifies a second user from which money is requested;   determining, by a processor, whether the second user is a registered member of the payment server;   if the second user is not determined to be a registered member, transmitting a signup email to the second user;   if the second user is determined to be a registered member, transmitting, by a transmitter, a money request email message to the second user, wherein the money request email includes at least one mailto link associated with the money request from the first user and a targeted token, wherein the targeted token includes an embedded identifier of the email address of the first user;   receiving, by the receiver, a response email message to the money request email message, wherein the response email message is generated based on the at least one mailto link selected by the second user and includes the transmitted token;   decoding, by the processor, the transmitted token and confirming that the embedded identifier of the email address matches the email address of the targeted token; and   performing a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) validation of the received response email message to validate the transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a URL pay email message to the email address associated with the response email message, if processor determines that the second user is not a member. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction if the processor determines that the second user is a member; and   transmitting, by the transmitter a notification that the peer-to-peer ecommerce transaction was successful.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer ecommerce transaction is performed through a social network website. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the peer-to-peer ecommerce transaction is integrated into an email server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the money request from the first user identifies a plurality of users from which money is requested. 
     
     
         7 . A method for peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction between a first user and a second user that is facilitated by a payment server, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a receiver, a money request from a first user, wherein the money request identifies a plurality of recipients from which money is requested;   determining, by a processor, whether each of the plurality of recipients are members; and   transmitting, by a transmitter, a plurality of money request email messages to the plurality of recipients, wherein each of the plurality of recipients that is determined to be a member receives an email message comprising an email targeted token, wherein the email targeted token comprises an embedded identifier of the email address of the first user and each of the plurality of recipients that is not determined to be a member receives an email message comprising an URL signup email.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising receiving, by the receiver, a response email message to at least one of the plurality of money request email messages, wherein the response email message includes an email targeted token; and
 processing the e-commerce transaction based at least in part on the email targeted token and an email address associated with the response email message.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising receiving, by the receiver, a response message to at least one of the plurality of money request email messages, wherein the response email message includes an URL targeted token;
 registering at least on user associated with the response message; and processing the e-commerce transaction based at least in part on the URL targeted token.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the response message is received via a web page. 
     
     
         11 . A system for peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction between a first user and a second user that is facilitated by a payment server, the system comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive a money request from a first user, wherein the money request identifies a second user from which money is requested;   a processor configured to determine, whether the second user is a registered member of the payment server;   a transmitter configured to transmit if the second user is not determined to be a registered member, a signup email to the second user and, if the second user is determined to be a registered member, a money request email message to the second user, wherein the money request email includes at least one mailto link associated with the money request from the first user and a targeted token, wherein the targeted token comprises an embedded identifier of the email address of the first user;   the receiver further configured to receive a response email message to the money request email message, wherein the response email message is generated based on the at least one mailto link selected by the second user and includes the transmitted token;   the processor further configured to determine whether the second user is a member based on the received token and an email address associated with the response email message;   the processor further configured to decode the received token and confirm that the embedded identifier of the email address matches the address of the transmitted token was submitted from the first user; and   the processor further configured to perform a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) validation of the received response email message to validate the transaction.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a URL pay email message to the email address associated with the response email message, if processor determines that the second user is not a member. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the processor further configured to process the peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction if the processor determines that the second user is a member; and   the transmitter further configured to transmit a notification that the peer-to-peer e-commerce transaction was successful.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the peer-to-peer ecommerce transaction is performed through a social network website. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the peer-to-peer ecommerce transaction is integrated into an email server. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the money request from the first user identifies a plurality of users from which money is requested.