Method for Retail On-Line Account Opening

Abstract

A system and method for a retail customer interfacing with a financial institution through a computer network is presented. The method includes a verification of customer-provided information with a pre-existing client identification profile for the customer, a determination of the customer's credit score using a set of predetermined criteria, and presenting a set of account options based at least in part on the verification of the customer-provided information and the customer's credit score. Additional customer-provided information may be received and verified and used to enroll the customer in one or more programs offered by the financial institution at a predefined level based at least on one or more predetermined factors.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A method of interfacing with a client computer with at least one server comprising at least one processor, the method comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (a) receiving an interface request from a client computer after the client computer has reached, via a path through a computer network, a predetermined webpage on a computer system for the financial institution;   (b) presenting a first content to the client computer;   (c) receiving a first input from the client computer;   (d) receiving from the client computer a first set of information;   (e) presenting the first set of information to the client computer for review by a customer using the client computer and receiving a second set of information from the client computer wherein the second set of information comprises the first set of information and any modifications to the first set of information made by the customer;   (f) presenting to the client computer a set of terms and conditions;   (g) receiving an application from the client computer;   (h) verifying at least a part of the second set of information;   (i) factoring whether the customer is a new or existing client of the financial institution in determining a credit score of the customer;   (j) presenting to the client computer a set of account options and associated terms and conditions wherein the account options presented are based at least in part on the verification of the second set of information and the customer's credit score;   (k) receiving a funding option from the client computer;   (l) verifying the funding option;   (m) determining that the customer is to be enrolled for a debit card or an automated teller machine (“ATM”) card;   (n) processing the customer for the debit card or ATM card enrollment;   (o) determining that the customer is to be enrolled in an online banking program;   (p) reserving account numbers at the financial institution for the customer;   (q) presenting to the client computer information related to the customer's approved products, accounts, or enrollments; and   (r) sending a communication to the client computer indicating approval of the customer's approved products, accounts, or enrollments.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (s) adding or updating the customer's identification information at the financial institution; 
 (t) performing a risk analysis on the customer; 
 (u) performing a fraud analysis on the customer; 
 (v) opening a new account for the customer at the financial institution based on the customer's approved products, accounts, or enrollments; 
 (w) processing the customer's approved online banking enrollment; 
 (x) initiating a fund transfer to the new customer account; 
 (y) adding an overdraft protection account at the financial institution for the customer; 
 (z) linking the debit card or ATM card to the new customer account; 
 (aa) ordering a credit card for the customer; 
 (ab) processing fulfillment information; and 
 (ac) sending a communication to the client computer indicating funding of the new customer account. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first content includes at least one of a checking account, a savings account, and an online only savings account. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first content is selected from the group consisting of: certificate of deposit, individual retirement account, retirement account, a 401(k) account, tax-deferred college savings account, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first content is determined by the path through the computer network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first content includes a list of products, and wherein one of the products is automatically highlighted on a display device of the client computer wherein the product highlighted is based on the path through the computer network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first set of information includes at least one of: an online client user identification and password for the customer; the customer's last name; and the last four digits of the customer's social security number. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second set of information includes at least one of the customer's personal information and a co-applicant associated with the customer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the verifying at least a part of the second set of information includes determining a first verification information, evaluating the first verification information, querying the customer, verifying the customer's answers to the queries, and authenticating the customer based on the first verification information and the customer's answers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first set of predetermined criteria further includes at least one of a determination of whether the customer has been identified as a fraudster or abuser by the financial institution, a determination of whether the customer has been identified as a fraudster by a second financial institution, and a determination of whether a customer identity verification score for the customer exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the funding option includes at least one of sending a check by mail to the financial institution, making a deposit at a branch of the financial institution, electronically transferring funds to the financial institution from a source outside of the financial institution, and providing funding from a preexisting account at the financial institution. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the customer can choose a personal identification number for the debit card or the ATM card. 
     
     
         13 . A method of interfacing with a client computer with at least one server comprising at least one processor, the method comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (a) receiving an interface request from a client computer after the client computer has reached, via a path through a computer network, a predetermined webpage on a computer system for the financial institution;   (b) presenting a list of products to the client computer wherein the list of products presented is determined at least in part by the path through the computer network;   (c) receiving a choice of one or more products from the client computer;   (d) authenticating the client computer using a first set of identification information;   (e) reviewing the first set of identification information:
 (i) if the first set of identification information is not verified, requesting a second set of identification information that includes personal data of a customer using the client computer; 
 (ii) if the first set of customer identification information is verified, evaluating a predetermined client identification profile (“CIP”) for the customer:
 (A) if the CIP is acceptable, displaying the customer's personal information on the client computer and collecting and verifying a set of co-applicant identification information; 
 (B) if the CIP is not acceptable, requesting a third set of customer identification information that includes personal data of the customer that is different than the second set of customer information; 
 
   (f) for the received second or third set of customer identification information:
 (i) determining the customer's primary residence location; 
 (ii) obtaining a secondary residence location from the customer where the customer's determined primary residence location is not within an operating area of the financial institution; 
 (iii) collecting and verifying a set of co-applicant identification information where there is a co-applicant associated with the customer; 
   (g) factoring whether the customer is a new or existing client of the financial institution in determining a credit score of the customer and presenting terms and conditions to the client computer for at least one of the one or more products chosen by the client computer; and   (h) receiving an application from the client computer for at least one of the one or more products chosen by the client computer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the terms and conditions presented to the client computer include at least one of an electronic disclosure, a retail bank services agreement a state pricing guide, a corporate privacy notice, and a tax identification number certification. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (i) determining and evaluating a first set of verification data for a demand deposit account (“DDA”); 
 (j) determining a second set of verification data where the first set of verification data is not acceptable; 
 (k) determining and evaluating a third set of verification data where a co-applicant is associated with the customer; 
 (l) evaluating the second set of verification data; 
 (m) determining a status of the customer where the evaluation of either the second or third set of verification data is not acceptable:
 (i) placing the customer in a pending status in the instance where the customer is an existing client of the financial institution; 
 (ii) ending the process in the instance where the customer is not an existing client of the financial institution; and 
 
 (n) approving the customer for a DDA where the second set of verification data is acceptable. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the evaluation of the second or third verification data includes applying a predetermined set of business rules. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the predetermined set of business rules includes a go/no go decision of at least one of a social security number evaluation, a tax identification number evaluation, an identity theft evaluation, a retail indicator evaluation, a previous inquiries evaluation, a closure summary evaluation, and a closure details evaluation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (i) presenting option package terms to the client computer where the client computer has requested an option package, wherein the option package includes at least one of a debit card and an automated teller machine (“ATM”) card; 
 (j) receiving funding information from the client computer; 
 (k) verifying the funding information; 
 (l) requesting additional funds where the funding information is not valid; 
 (m) determining customer debit card information where the customer is eligible for a debit card; 
 (n) determining customer ATM card information where the customer is eligible for an ATM card; 
 (o) determining information to open an online banking account for the customer where the customer is not an online banking client of the financial institution; and 
 (p) generating account numbers at the financial institution for at least one account associated with the customer for at least one of the debit card or the ATM card and presenting final summary information to the client computer, otherwise placing the customer in a review process. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method of interfacing with a client computer with at least one server comprising at least one processor, the method comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (a) receiving an interface request from a client computer after the client computer has reached, via a path through a computer network, a predetermined webpage on a computer system for the financial institution;   (b) presenting a first content to the client computer;   (c) receiving a first input from the client computer;   (d) receiving from the client computer a first set of information;   (e) presenting the first set of information to the client computer for review by a customer using the client computer and receiving a second set of information from the client computer wherein the second set of information comprises the first set of information and any modifications to the first set of information made by the customer;   (f) presenting to the client computer a set of terms and conditions;   (g) receiving an application from the client computer;   (h) verifying at least a part of the second set of information;   (i) determining a credit score for the customer based at least in part on whether the customer is an existing client of the financial institution;   (j) presenting to the client computer a set of account options and associated terms and conditions wherein the set of account options presented are based at least in part on said determined credit score for the customer, wherein the set of account options presented is a first set of account options where the customer is an existing client of the financial institution or a second set of account options where the customer is not an existing client of the financial institution, wherein the account options in the second set are fewer than the account options in the first set;   (k) receiving a funding option from the client computer;   (l) verifying the funding option;   (m) determining that the customer is to be enrolled for a debit card or an automated teller machine (“ATM”) card;   (n) processing the customer for the debit card or ATM card enrollment;   (o) determining that the customer is to be enrolled in an online banking program;   (p) reserving account numbers at the financial institution for the customer;   (q) presenting to the client computer information related to the customer's approved products, accounts, or enrollments; and   (r) sending a communication to the client computer indicating approval of the customer's approved products, accounts, or enrollments.   
     
     
         20 . A method of interfacing with a client computer with at least one server comprising at least one processor, the method comprising the steps of, via the at least one processor:
 (a) receiving an interface request from a customer via a client computer after the client computer has reached, via a path through a computer network, a predetermined webpage on a computer system for the financial institution;   (b) presenting a list of products to the client computer wherein the list of products presented is determined at least in part by the path through the computer network, wherein the list of products presented is a first list and the path is a first path where the customer is an existing client of the financial institution, or the list of products presented is a second list and the path is a second path where the customer is not an existing client of the financial institution;   (c) receiving a choice of one or more products from the client computer;   (d) authenticating the client computer using a first set of identification information;   (e) reviewing the first set of identification information:
 (i) if the first set of identification information is not verified, requesting a second set of identification information that includes personal data of a customer using the client computer; 
 (ii) if the first set of customer identification information is verified, evaluating a predetermined client identification profile (“CIP”) for the customer:
 (A) if the CIP is acceptable, displaying the customer's personal information on the client computer and collecting and verifying a set of co-applicant identification information; 
 (B) if the CIP is not acceptable, requesting a third set of customer identification information that includes personal data of the customer that is different than the second set of customer information; 
 
   (f) for the received second or third set of customer identification information:
 (i) determining the customer's primary residence location; 
 (ii) obtaining a secondary residence location from the customer where the customer's determined primary residence location is not within an operating area of the financial institution; 
 (iii) collecting and verifying a set of co-applicant identification information where there is a co-applicant associated with the customer; 
   (g) determining a credit score for the customer based at least in part on whether the customer is an existing client of the financial institution and presenting terms and conditions to the client computer for at least one of the one or more products chosen by the client computer; and   (h) receiving an application from the client computer for at least one of the one or more products chosen by the client computer.