SELECTIVE TRANSACTION AUTHORISATION METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract

A selective transaction authorization method and system wherein the payment authorization request includes restriction information indicating a restricted purchase is requested, and the payment authorization request is declined or authorized according to a status of the account with which the purchase is being attempted.

Claims

1. A selective transaction authorization method comprising: receiving a payment authorization request, wherein the payment authorization request includes restriction information indicating a restricted purchase is requested; determining a status of an account being used to make the transaction; and declining the payment authorization request if the status of the account does not meet a requirement of the restricted purchase, or authorizing the payment authorization request if the status of the account does meet the requirement of the restricted purchase.

2. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the restriction information includes age verification information indicating an item subject to the payment authorization request is age-restricted, and wherein the payment authorization request is declined if the status of the account indicates the account cannot be used to purchase age-restricted items.

3. The selective transaction approval method of claim 2, wherein the age verification information indicates a highest age requirement for an item or a collection of items subject to the payment authorization request.

4. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the restriction information includes discount information indicating a discount is requested, and wherein the payment authorization request is declined if the status of the account indicates the account does not qualify for the discount.

5. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the restriction information is generated by a point-of-sale system.

6. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, further comprising generating and sending an alert if the payment authorization request is declined.

7. The selective transaction approval method of claim 6, wherein the alert is sent to a party other than a holder of the account being used to make the transaction.

8. The selective transaction approval method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a response to the alert and authorizing a subsequent payment authorization request.

9. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the restriction information is provided in the absence of SKU level data.

10. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the restriction information is provided as a single byte.

11. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the payment authorization request includes restriction categorization information to categorize the restricted purchase into one or more restriction categories.

12. The selective transaction approval method of claim 11, wherein the restriction categorization information is provided as a single byte.

13. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the payment authorization request includes a merchant identifier and the method further comprises declining the payment authorization request if the merchant identifier is not included in a predetermined list of approved merchants.

14. The selective transaction approval method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises fulfilling a transaction if the payment authorization request is approved.

15. A computer readable storage medium system configured to store computer executable code that when executed, cause a computer to: receive a payment authorization request, wherein the payment authorization request includes restriction information indicating a restricted purchase is requested; determine a status of an account being used to make the transaction; and decline the payment authorization request if the status of the account does not meet a requirement of the restricted purchase, or authorize the payment authorization request if the status of the account does meet the requirement of the restricted purchase.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the restriction information includes age verification information indicating an item subject to the payment authorization request is age-restricted, and wherein the payment authorization request is declined if the status of the account indicates the account cannot be used to purchase age-restricted items.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the age verification information indicates a highest age requirement for an item or a collection of items subject to the payment authorization request.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the restriction information includes discount information indicating a discount is requested, and wherein the payment authorization request is declined if the status of the account indicates the account does not qualify for the discount.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the restriction information is generated by a point-of-sale system.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the restriction information is provided in the absence of SKU level data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a first schematic process diagram showing a method of selectively authenticating a restricted transaction; and

[0027] FIG. 2 is a second schematic process diagram showing a method of selectively authenticating a transaction including an age-restricted item.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 is a first schematic process diagram showing a method 100 of selectively authenticating a restricted transaction. A card issuer may receive a payment authorization request 110 from a merchant via an acquirer and relevant card network. The payment authorization request 110 will typically include information identifying the merchant and the account from which payment is intended, and some further information related to the transaction such as the total cost.

[0029] Furthermore, the payment authorization request 110 includes restriction information indicating the payment authorization request 110 is for a restricted transaction. A restricted transaction may be, for example, a purchase of an age-restricted item or a purchase including a student discount. The restriction information may be provided as a single byte in the payment authorization request. The single byte of data may specify to which restriction the purchase is subject. For example, the single byte of data may specify that an age-restricted item is included in the basket or that a discount is sought. As a further example, the single byte of data may specify ‘0’ for no age-restriction data being provided, ‘1’ for no age-restricted items in the basket, ‘16’ for at least one item in the basket requires the purchases to be age 16+, or ‘18’ for at least one item in the basket requires the purchases to be age 18+.

[0030] The restriction information may be provided without the need for SKU level data. Accordingly, the issuer may simply be told that some restriction applies and may not be provided with any information indicating the nature of goods and/or services purchased. For example, the issuer may be informed the transaction relates to an item that is subject to an 18+ age-rated, without specifying what the item is.

[0031] As noted above, the payment authorization request 110 typically includes some information to identify the account with which the transaction is to be made. The issuer, after receiving the payment authorization request 110, may then retrieve and/or determine a status of the account 120. The account may be a student account and, as such, the status of the account 120 may indicate a student discount may be given. Alternatively, the account may be a social benefit account and the account holder may only use the account to purchase items deemed to be healthy or essential. As such, the account holder may be barred from using the account to purchase alcohol and tobacco products by preventing the account from being used to purchase items with an 18+ age rating in the United Kingdom (or equivalent age rating in another jurisdiction).

[0032] The issuer may then use the account status 120 and the restriction information included in the payment authorization request 110, alongside the typical procedures, to decline 130 or authorize 140 the payment authorization request 110. If the payment authorization request 110 is authorized 140, the issuer may fulfil the transaction.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a second schematic process diagram showing a method 200 of selectively authenticating a transaction including an age-restricted item. When a customer wishes to purchase an item in a store, they will typically take their item to a point-of-sale system (POS) such as a checkout till. The POS operative, or the customer in a self-service environment, scans a barcode, QR code or other code with the POS. The POS then retrieves SKU level data related to the item such as price and if any age restriction applies. If, for example, alcohol is scanned at the POS, an alert or notification will be generated to inform the operative that the customer's age must be verified as being 18+ to fulfil legal requirements. Several items may be scanned at the POS and form a single transaction, if appropriate.

[0034] As noted above, when alcohol is scanned at the POS, data is created identifying an age restriction applies to the purchase. Typically, once a customer's age has been verified, the restriction data is not used in further processing. However, the restriction data may instead be included in a payment authorization request 210 sent to and received by the issuer as a transaction is attempted to pay for the items scanned at the POS. For example, a single byte of the payment authorization request 210 may indicate that the customer's basket is subject to an 18+ rating. Once the issuer receives the payment authorization request 210, the request may be analysed to determine an age restriction 215 applies to the basket. Accordingly, the issuer is informed at least one item in the customer's basket is subject to an age restriction without being provided with SKU level data.

[0035] Although the customer's age would have been verified by the store to fulfil legal requirements, the issuer may have alternative reasons for wishing to prevent the cardholder from purchasing items rated 18+. For example, the account may be a social benefit account that may only be used to purchase healthy and essential items and not alcohol. Accordingly, barring the cardholder from using the account to purchase items rated 18+ may prevent the cardholder from using the account to purchase alcohol.

[0036] The issuer may analyse or refer to a database or lookup table to determine the account status 220. The account status 220 may indicate that the cardholder may or may not purchase items that are restricted for sale only to those over a certain age. Accordingly, based on the determined account status 220, a determination is made as to whether the account is authorized to purchase a basket which includes the age-restricted item 225. This determination may then be used alongside typical and conventional payment authorization request decision making procedures.

[0037] If the account is not authorized to purchase the age-restricted item, the payment authorization request may be declined 230. Alternatively, if the account is authorized to purchase the age-restricted item, the payment authorization request may be authorized 240 and a payment fulfilled.

[0038] Although not described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 above, additional steps may be undertaken when declining or authorizing a payment authorization request as will be clear from the disclosures herein. Furthermore, although some discussion of the content of a payment authorization request is discussed herein, additional or alternative information may be provided in the payment authorization request. Several examples of restricted purchases and account statuses, such as age-restricted or student discount eligible, are described, other restrictions and statuses are envisaged. Furthermore, following the decline or authorization of the payment authorization request, additional steps may be undertaken.

[0039] A sequence of steps carried out to generate a payment authorization request at a point-of-sale system are discussed above. However, additional or alternative steps are envisaged. For example, an online transaction may be attempted. Additionally, although the restriction information may be provided as a single byte, more than one byte may be used to provide the restriction information. For example, a first byte may be used to indicate an 18+ rated item is being purchased and a second byte may be used to indicate the 18+ rated item falls into a category containing alcohol.