Systems and methods for communication verification

Abstract

Provided herein are systems and methods for verifying online communications. A sender and/or a recipient of an online communication can be a registered user of a verification system. Upon request by the sender and/or the recipient in relation to a particular instance of an online communication, the verification system can (1) confirm that the sender and/or the recipient is a registered user of the verification system, (2) verify that the sender and/or the recipient has sent and/or received, respectively, the particular instance of the online communication, and (3) communicate the verification of the particular instance of online communication to the sender and/or the recipient.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method for verifying a first electronic mail (email) from a first user to a second user, the method comprising:
 (a) sending the first email simultaneously to both an email address of the second user and an email address of a verification server, wherein the verification server is configured to facilitate verification of online communications;   (b) determining, by the verification server, a return path email address of the first email matches a given verified email address; and   (c) sending a confirmation email from the email address of the verification server to the return path email address of the first email for confirming that the first user sent the first email.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first email is sent to the verification server using an electronic mail transmission protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the given verified email address is stored in the verification server when an owner of the given verified email address is registered to the verification server and has verified ownership of the given verified email address. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the confirmation email comprises instructions for confirming within a finite time restraint. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions for confirming is selected from one or more of clicking on a unique confirmation link, button, or hyperlink provided in the body of the confirmation email, re-entering a code or a password provided in the body of the confirmation email into another location, and scanning a code. 
     
     
         7 . A system for verifying a first electronic mail (email) from a first user to a second user, the system comprising:
 a communications interface in communication with a first user device of the first user and a second user device of the second user over a computer network;   a database configured to store a plurality of verified email addresses; and   one or more computer processors operatively coupled to the communications interface and the database, wherein the one or more computer processers are individually or collectively programmed to:   (a) send the first email simultaneously to both an email address of the second user and an email address of the communications interface;   (b) determine a return path email address of the first email matches a given verified email address; and   (c) send a confirmation email from the email address of the communications interface to the return path email address of the first email for confirming that the first user sent the first email.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first email is sent to the verification server using an electronic mail transmission protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the given verified email address is stored in the database when an owner of the given verified email address has verified ownership of the given verified email address. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions for confirming is selected from one or more of clicking on a unique confirmation link, button, or hyperlink provided in the body of the confirmation email, re-entering a code or a password provided in the body of the confirmation email into another location, and scanning a code. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the confirmation email comprises instructions for confirming within a finite time restraint. 
     
     
         12 . A tangible computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method for verifying a first electronic mail (email) from a first user to a second user, the method comprising:
 (a) sending the first email simultaneously to both an email address of the second user and an email address of a verification server, wherein the verification server is configured to facilitate verification of online communications;   (b) determining, by the verification server, a return path email address of the first email matches a given verified email address; and   (c) sending a confirmation email from the email address of the verification server to the return path email address of the first email for confirming that the first user sent the first email.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first email is sent to the verification server using an electronic mail transmission protocol. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the given verified email address is stored in the verification server when an owner of the given verified email address is registered to the verification server and has verified ownership of the given verified email address. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the confirmation email comprises instructions for confirming within a finite time restraint. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions for confirming is selected from one or more of clicking on a unique confirmation link, button, or hyperlink provided in the body of the confirmation email, re-entering a code or a password provided in the body of the confirmation email into another location, and scanning a code.