System and method for electronic lead verification

Abstract

A system and a method provide a lead verification service. A lead generator contacts a verification server when a visitor lands on a hosting site of the lead generator to enter lead information into a form. The verification server issues a reference key (token) to the lead generator and collects information about the visitor and the hosting site of the lead generator, using the reference key to identify the collected information. When the visitor submits the form, the lead generator sends the form data, which includes the entered lead information and the reference key received from the verification server, to at least one interested party. When the verification server receives a request for the collected information from the interested party, the collected information is retrieved based on the reference key included in the request and sent to the requesting interested party.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first request at a verification server, the first request associated with a visitor accessing a web page comprising a form into which the visitor is able to enter information using a web browser of the visitor;   in response to the first request, providing a reference key comprising a unique identifier from the verification server;   collecting, at the verification server, information about the web page or form and about the visitor or the web browser of the visitor;   generating a certificate containing the collected information and associated with the reference key at the verification server, the certificate identified using a uniform resource locator (URL); and   transmitting the certificate from the verification server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certificate lacks personally identifiable information about the visitor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certificate comprises one or more of:
 a URL associated with the web page or form;   a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header for the web page;   a timestamp associated with the web browser of the visitor accessing the web page;   a network address associated with the web browser of the visitor; or   text associated with the form that the visitor populates.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the certificate comprises a screenshot of at least one of the web page or the form, the screenshot including at least a portion of the information entered by the visitor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the reference key comprises:
 providing a script to the web browser of the visitor;   receiving a second request for a verification URL according to the script; and   providing the verification URL in response to the second request.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the first request comprises receiving the first request from a lead verification service script executed by the web browser of the visitor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing verification data from the verification server; and   receiving additional data that is generated based on the verification data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second request containing the URL;   wherein transmitting the certificate comprises transmitting the certificate in response to the second request.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one memory configured to store instructions; and   at least one processing device configured to execute the instructions stored in the at least one memory, the instructions when executed configured to cause the at least one processing device to:
 receive a first request associated with a visitor accessing a web page comprising a form into which the visitor is able to enter information using a web browser of the visitor; 
 in response to the first request, provide a reference key comprising a unique identifier; 
 collect information about the web page or form and about the visitor or the web browser of the visitor; 
 generate a certificate containing the collected information and associated with the reference key, the certificate identified using a uniform resource locator (URL); and 
 initiate transmission of the certificate. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the certificate lacks personally identifiable information about the visitor. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the certificate comprises one or more of:
 a URL associated with the web page or form;   a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header for the web page;   a timestamp associated with the web browser of the visitor accessing the web page;   a network address associated with the web browser of the visitor; or   text associated with the form that the visitor populates.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the certificate comprises a screenshot of at least one of the web page or the form, the screenshot including at least a portion of the information entered by the visitor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to provide the reference key comprise:
 instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to:
 provide a script to the web browser of the visitor; 
 receive a second request for a verification URL according to the script; and 
 provide the verification URL in response to the second request. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to receive the first request comprise:
 instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to receive the first request from a lead verification service script executed by the web browser of the visitor.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions when executed are further configured to cause the at least one processing device to:
 provide verification data; and   receive additional data that is generated based on the verification data.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions when executed are further configured to cause the at least one processing device to receive a second request containing the URL;
 wherein the instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to initiate transmission of the certificate comprise:
 instructions that when executed are configured to cause the at least one processing device to initiate transmission of the certificate in response to the second request. 
   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying instructions that when executed cause at least one processing device to:
 receive a first request associated with a visitor accessing a web page comprising a form into which the visitor is able to enter information using a web browser of the visitor;   in response to the first request, provide a reference key comprising a unique identifier;   collect information about the web page or form and about the visitor or the web browser of the visitor;   generate a certificate containing the collected information and associated with the reference key, the certificate identified using a uniform resource locator (URL); and   initiate transmission of the certificate.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the certificate lacks personally identifiable information about the visitor. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the certificate comprises one or more of:
 a URL associated with the web page or form;   a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header for the web page;   a timestamp associated with the web browser of the visitor accessing the web page;   a network address associated with the web browser of the visitor; or   text associated with the form that the visitor populates.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the certificate comprises a screenshot of at least one of the web page or the form, the screenshot including at least a portion of the information entered by the visitor. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to provide the reference key comprise:
 instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to:
 provide a script to the web browser of the visitor; 
 receive a second request for a verification URL according to the script; and 
 provide the verification URL in response to the second request. 
   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to receive the first request comprise:
 instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to receive the first request from a lead verification service script executed by the web browser of the visitor.   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further embodying instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to:
 provide verification data; and   receive additional data that is generated based on the verification data.   
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further embodying instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to receive a second request containing the URL;
 wherein the instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to initiate transmission of the certificate comprise:
 instructions that when executed cause the at least one processing device to initiate transmission of the certificate in response to the second request.