User id codes for online verification

Abstract

Methods and systems for establishing a chain of relationships are disclosed. An identity verification platform receives a first request for registration comprising an identification of a first user, identification of an entity, and a relationship between the first user and the entity; verifies the identity of the first user and the relationship between the first user and the entity; and verifies that the entity is legitimate. Once a relationship between a first individual, invited by the first user, and the entity is confirmed, the platform creates a custom badge representing the relationship between the first individual and the entity for display on the entity's website. The platform receives an identification of a selection by an end user of the custom badge and, responsive to receiving the identification of the selection, renders, on a domain controlled by the identity verification platform, a verification that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is valid.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of establishing a chain of relationships, comprising:
 receiving, by an identity verification platform from a device of a first user, a first request for registration comprising an identification of the first user, identification of an entity, and a relationship between the first user and the entity;   verifying, by the identity verification platform responsive to receipt of the first request, the identity of the first user and the relationship between the first user and the entity;   verifying, by the identity verification platform, that the entity is legitimate;   receiving, by the identity verification platform from the first user, a first invitation for a relationship between a first individual and the entity;   transmitting to a device of the first individual, by the identity verification platform responsive to receiving the invitation for the relationship from the device of the first user, a second request for approval of the relationship between the first individual and the entity;   receiving, by the identity verification platform from the device of the first individual, approval of the relationship between the first individual and the entity;   transmitting, by the identity verification platform to the device of the first user, confirmation of the relationship between the first individual and the entity;   creating, by the identity verification platform, a custom badge for display on the entity's website, the custom badge representing the relationship between the first individual and the entity and valid for one or more domains associated with the verified entity;   receiving, by the identity verification platform, an identification of a selection by an end user of the custom badge;   responsive to receiving the identification of the selection, rendering, by the identity verification platform, on a domain controlled by the identity verification platform, a verification that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is valid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein verifying the identity of the first user and the relationship between the first user and the entity further comprises verifying the existence of a record in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address corresponding to the entity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a transaction for recordation in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address based on the entity and the first individual, the presence of the transaction in the centralized or distributed ledger indicating that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is legitimate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating the transaction comprises adding a non-zero value to a record in the centralized or distributed ledger at the address based on the entity and the first individual. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein verifying the relationship between the first user and the entity further comprises receiving a confirmation of the relationship between the first user and the entity via a communication channel separate from a communication channel via which the first request was received. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the verification that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is valid further comprises determining that validity of the relationship has not been revoked. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining that validity of the relationship has not been revoked further comprises identifying a record in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address based on the entity and the first individual having a non-zero value. 
     
     
         8 . A system for establishing a chain of relationships, comprising:
 a device, in communication with a device of a first user and a device of a first individual, comprising a network interface and a processor executing an identity verification platform;   wherein the network interface is configured to receive, from the device of the first user, a first request for registration comprising an identification of the first user, identification of an entity, and a relationship between the first user and the entity;   wherein the identity verification platform is configured to:
 verify, responsive to receipt of the first request, the identity of the first user and the relationship between the first user and the entity, and 
 verify that the entity is legitimate; 
   wherein the network interface is further configured to:
 receive, from the device of the first user, a first invitation for a relationship between the first individual and the entity, 
 transmit to the device of the first individual, responsive to receiving the invitation for the relationship from the device of the first user, a second request for approval of the relationship between the first individual and the entity, 
 receive, from the device of the first individual, approval of the relationship between the first individual and the entity, and 
 transmit, to the device of the first user, confirmation of the relationship between the first individual and the entity; and 
   wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to:
 create a custom badge for display on the entity's website, the custom badge representing the relationship between the first individual and the entity and valid for one or more domains associated with the verified entity, and 
 responsive to receiving an identification of a selection by an end user of the custom badge, render, on a domain controlled by the identity verification platform, a verification that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is valid. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to verify the identity of the first user and the relationship between the first user and the entity responsive to the existence of a record in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address corresponding to the entity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to generate a transaction for recordation in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address based on the entity and the first individual, the presence of the first transaction in the centralized or distributed ledger indicating that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is legitimate. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to add a non-zero value to a record in the centralized or distributed ledger at the address based on the entity and the first individual. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to receive a confirmation of the relationship between the first user and the entity via a communication channel separate from a communication channel via which the first request was received. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to render the verification that the relationship between the first individual and the entity is valid responsive to determining that validity of the relationship has not been revoked. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the identity verification platform is further configured to determine that validity of the relationship has not been revoked responsive to identifying a record in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address based on the entity and the first individual having a non-zero value. 
     
     
         15 . A method for verification of a chain of trust via a centralized or distributed ledger, comprising:
 receiving a request, by an identity verification platform from a first device, for a validation badge, the request identifying a user and an entity;   retrieving, by the identity verification platform, a record in a centralized or distributed ledger at an address corresponding to the user and entity;   determining, by the identity verification platform, that a relationship between the user and the entity is existent based on the retrieved record in the centralized or distributed ledger; and   transmitting, by the identity verification platform to the first device, the requested validation badge, responsive to the determination that the relationship is existent, an application of the first device rendering the validation badge for display.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein retrieving the record in the centralized or distributed ledger further comprises:
 retrieving a parent record at an address corresponding to the entity;   identifying, in the parent record, a second address corresponding to the user and the entity; and   retrieving the record in the centralized or distributed ledger at the second address.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein determining that the relationship between the user and the entity is existent further comprises identifying the presence of a non-zero value stored with the retrieved record in the centralized or distributed ledger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the validation badge comprises executable code that, upon interaction with the validation badge, causes the application of the first device to transmit a second request for information about the relationship between the user and the entity from the validation system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving the second request, by the identity verification platform from the first device, the second request comprising an identification of a domain;   determining, by the identity verification platform, that the domain is associated with the entity; and   transmitting a response to the second request comprising the information about the relationship between the user and the entity, by the identity verification platform to the first device, responsive to the determination that the domain is associated with the entity.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving the second request, by the identity verification platform from the first device, the second request comprising an identification of a domain;   determining, by the identity verification platform, that the domain is not associated with the entity; and   transmitting a response to the second request comprising an indication that the validation badge is invalid, by the identity verification platform to the first device, responsive to the determination that the domain is not associated with the entity.