Anti-phishing communication system

Abstract

A system and method for electronic message verification are described. One embodiment adds a unique code to electronic messages which a user can provide to a financial services company website. The code can be verified and a verification notice is provided to the user if the message was authentic. Authentication can be based upon both the code and the user's identification relative to the financial services company.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a prior art electronic transaction;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system according to embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a computer architecture upon which an embodiment of the present invention may execute.

Claims

1. A method comprising: generating a verification code at a source;transmitting an electronic message to a user from the source comprising the verification code;providing a user interface accessible by the user, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the user to supply the verification code from the electronic message;validating the verification code was generated by the source; andproviding a confirmation to the user that the electronic message was transmitted from the source to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the verification code is a randomly generated number.

3. The method of claim 1 where the source is a financial services company.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the electronic message comprises a financial transaction confirmation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a website interface accessible by the user via a network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein validating the verification code comprises: comparing the user supplied verification code to archived codes contained in a database; andcomparing an identification of the user that supplied the verification code to the user interface with an identification of the user that the electronic message containing the verification code was transmitted to.

7. The message of claim 6 wherein providing the confirmation is performed based upon an outcome of both the comparing the user supplied verification code and comparing the identification of the user operations.

8. A machine readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A method comprising: performing a financial transaction via a financial services company;generating a verification code;transmitting an electronic message to a user from the financial services company comprising the verification code and a confirmation of the financial transaction;providing a network-based user interface accessible by the user via a network, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the user to supply the verification code from the electronic message;validating the verification code was generated by the financial services company and transmitted to the user; andproviding a confirmation to the user that the electronic message was transmitted from the financial services company to the user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the verification code is a randomly generated number.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein validating the verification code comprises: comparing the user supplied verification code to archived codes contained in a database;comparing an identification of the user that supplied the verification code to the user interface with an identification of the user that the electronic message containing the verification code was transmitted to; andwherein providing the confirmation is performed based upon an outcome of both the comparing the user supplied verification code and comparing the identification of the user operations.

12. A machine readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the method of claim 9.

13. A system comprising: a code generation unit to generate a code;a communication unit to transmit an electronic message to a recipient, wherein the electronic message comprises the code; anda user interface accessible by the recipient, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the recipient to supply the code from the electronic message to a validation unit, wherein the validation unit verifies that the code was generated by the code generation unit and transmitted to the recipient.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the validation unit further provides a confirmation to the recipient that the electronic message was transmitted from a financial services company to the recipient.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising: a database to archive a plurality of generated codes and electronic message data associated with each of the plurality of generated codes; anda compare unit to compare the recipient supplied code to the plurality of generated codes contained in the database, wherein the compare unit further compares an identification of the recipient that supplied the code with an identification of the recipient that the electronic message containing the code was transmitted to.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user interface provides a recipient confirmation message based upon an output of the compare unit.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the code generated by the code generation unit comprises a randomly generated number.

18. A network-based financial transaction system comprising: a financial transaction unit to execute an electronic commerce transaction between a buyer and a seller via an internet network, wherein the seller maintains an account with a financial services provider;a communication unit to transmit an electronic message from the financial services provider to the seller, wherein the electronic message comprises a notification of the execution of the electronic commerce transaction and a verification code; andan user interface accessible by the seller via the internet network and the seller's account, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the seller to supply the verification code from the electronic message to a validation unit, wherein the validation unit verifies that the financial services provider transmitted the electronic message to the seller containing the verification code.

19. The network-based financial transaction system of claim 18 wherein the verification code comprises a randomly generated number.

20. The network-based financial transaction system of claim 18 wherein the electronic message comprises either an email, text message, voice message, or instant message.