Virtual Credit Card Software

[nigeldude]

There's a software that I�m working on but I�m getting stumped in the concept department still. I'm willing to start over if I have or to just pay someone to do it for me, or at least to get me started on the right path. I have posted a few questions here on this topic already and despite the feedback however helpful, I'm still not able to complete the project.

I want to create a software that will allow my office to accept membership issuing a Card with all the details as a credit card including a 16 digit pin number. This number will be nothing more than just the country code, date and incremented number combined. this card will act as a credit card; a prepaid credit card. The card holders will charge their account by:
1) Making a deposit to our account at a bank,
2) Coming in to our office to make the payment,
3) Paying it online using their banks online banking service to deposit the cash into our account.

The card holder will then have the deposited money as their spending limit.

With this charged account they should now be able to go to any merchant�s web site and make a payment/purchase. If they want to buy a camera from sony.com for example they should now be able to go through the process on "Sony's" web site and when it comes to the page to enter their credit card information, they will enter the information on the card issued to them by our office. This info of course has no meaning or purpose to Sony or any credit card company. Only to us. When they click on the final button to make the transaction; I need for our software to intercept the payment somehow and access the entered information on the page, sends it to our database cross reference it with the card holder's info in our database. This will check to see if the identifying info is correct and also if the current balance in their account can sustain the cost of the camera, the cost for shipping and our fee. If the cash in the account is enough then our software is to (unknown to the card holder) replace the information on "Sony�s" web page with the information on our actual credit card and makes the purchase.

This system will be run by an actual valid credit card that will in actuality make all payments for the card holders without them ever knowing that the information on their card is valid nowhere else but in our system. This software will allow an endless amount of members to use our credit card to make their transactions online without exposing our credit card details to them or without giving them the actual credit cards spending limit. Despite using our valid credit card to make their purchases, they will always have a spending limit of only what the deposited into our account minus our percentage which will be charged each time they use our service.

My problem is the interception part, how do I allow the end users to start their transaction on the merchant�s web site, then intercept it and cross reference the details entered on the web page then replace the details there with the ones in our database? I've thought about using just a web page with an iframe in it. Therefore the users will start on our site then navigate to their destined site within the iframe. Another concept was to create a desktop software that the users will have to download; this software will have an embedded browser that they will use to do their transaction. All other concepts I've come up with make the idea of the card redundant, because it then requires the users to make a request of the purchase that they want to make then an agent in our office will make the purchase for them. I don�t want that. I need for the user to feel like they have the purchasing power. Oh by the way, this card is targeted towards people that either don�t qualify for a credit card or don�t want the freedom and potential debts of a credit card. This is to be a hassle free way that anyone can use to gain online purchasing power without running themselves into debts as a result from purchasing before paying.

I would love for this software to be 100% automated but even if I have to have an agent manning it in the backgrounds, then so be it.

Please let me know if I wasn�t clear enough on any part, and I will explain further. Feel free to assist however you can, including giving me a quote to develop it in part or whole.

[Marcel Kollenaar]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Nigel,

I would not do that. Some transactions such as buying software puts the software license on the credit card holder. In that case you are becomming the licence holder and the buyer can do anything with the software. Why not using PayPal. They have a turnkey solution.

[nigeldude]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Please explain what service exactly that is with Pay pal. In my country in order for someone to get a pay pal account they still need a credit card.

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Nigel,


This all sounds somewhat convoluted. How would you propose to intercept communications between an end-user and any number of websites? Are you proposing to market this product to everyone who sells on the internet? I believe you would need almost God-like security access for any company to allow you to intercept their credit card transactions. How would you determine that it is one of yours? How could you guarantee to the user and the company that you wouldn't be stealing their credit information?

I don't see any way that this will fly.

Tom

[nigeldude]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

It isnt a walk in the park, but not impossible. But Tom I think u missed it by miles!

1) How exactly will i intercept communication?

Thats is the question, I have proposed 2 methods that have bugs in them. 1 to either use the IFrames or two the more likely one is to use the embeded browse in an alpha app. that way I already have control over what can happen when the user clicks or otherwise interacts with any site visited there.

2) "Are you proposing to market this product to everyone who sells on the internet?"

This service would be marketed to no one that sells on the internmet, their participation is not required. it is not pay pal or visa or any other service that they need to acknowledge. I will have the american issued credit card for that purpose.

3) "I believe you would need almost God-like security access for any company to allow you to intercept their credit card transactions."

By extention on point #2, I dont need that "God-like security access" cause the merchant's involvment is not required or needed.

4) "How could you guarantee to the user and the company that you wouldn't be stealing their credit information?"

again the company is not a part of this equation, I need nothing from them. How would I gurantee the user? how does any bank credit union, pawn shop, lending agency or any other does it? As for the credit information, I wouldnt be sharing that info from some other source, our office is the source. the user apply with us for this hassle free guranteed service, where they deposite when they need to spend it. We are already a reputable establishment. The trust isnt a factor.

5) "I don't see any way that this will fly."

:) isnt that whats said of every new concept before its a reality?
Can you imagine when it was said let's create a card that will replace money in your pocket, and people will use it to buy thousand of miles away in a foreign country? Whew!

[Marcel Kollenaar]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Please explain what service exactly that is with Pay pal. In my country in order for someone to get a pay pal account they still need a credit card.

Yes, Nigel you are right. The customer still needs a credit card.

The service of PayPal (PP) is that you create an account at PP with your credit card (CC) and when you make transactions you only have to mention your PP account and not your actual CC number. That is very good and secure concept. Everyone should minimize CC number transport on the net and if then only encrypted (https).

Oh by the way, this card is targeted towards people that either don�t qualify for a credit card or don�t want the freedom and potential debts of a credit card. This is to be a hassle free way that anyone can use to gain online purchasing power without running themselves into debts as a result from purchasing before paying

If people can't effort a card or aren't willing to get a card that is their problem. It is noble to help people that can't effort a CC but you are taking the risks. In the end you are charged. And what if they don''t have any money, they can't use your system either.

isnt that whats said of every new concept before its a reality?
Can you imagine when it was said let's create a card that will replace money in your pocket, and people will use it to buy thousand of miles away in a foreign country? Whew

Yes, but first the people must have money in their pocket. Your concept is just creating a kind of community CC.

[Bill Griffin]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

I am missing the point or usefullness of this as well. What is the difference of what you are proposing to a debit card? Money comes directly out of a person's checking account, they cannot use it unless they have money in their account and you usually do not pay a fee to use it as a credit card. Are debit cards not available through banks in your country? Is the reward (to you) worth the effort? I am sure most people in the US are trying to figure out what or why you would want to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

[csda1]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Actually, PayPal does not need a Credit Card, but some way to process the money in both directions. They can do a withdrawal from your bank account if you want (and in fact, they prefer it that way - less charges to PayPal). A bank account is all you need. They delay clearing/releasing the funds in those cases where it is not backed up by a credit card.

However, PayPal has different rules in each country, and there could be differences in yours. There are some countries that have a higher fraud rate than others, and PayPal's rules tend to be stricter in those countries.

[nigeldude]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Hey thanks guys for yous posts, even though it�s to say dont do it as opposed to how to do it.

Marcel:
Helping people was never in my thoughts. I am not planning a charity by any definition, but rather a service targeted to an unserviced audience.

You ask about what if they don�t have money in their pockets to use the service either.
In my country the telephone company has seen an increase in yearly revenue of hundreds of millions of dollars since implementing prepaid phone cards. If my memory serves me correct, the 1st year alone was $400, 000, 000 increase due to prepaid phone service.

Before some people would have post paid phones that they would place a lock on, a physical lock, just to make sure that the kids and other members don�t run the bill too high. Some people just rather use the pay phones than to get a post paid because they lack the discipline to use it responsibly and don�t even talk about cell phones, we won�t even go there, only the elite could handle those bills. then came prepaid, now every student 15 or older is sporting a cell phone, almost every home now has a prepaid home phone, and in actuality, these people end up spending more on the prepaid services for one simple fact; they buy credit however then can afford it and then when they have it, it can be burned without mercy with no repercussion at the month's end. In the case of the cell phones especially, quite often it�s not even the people with the phones that are purchasing the credit. Its other people buying the card and texting the number to them so they can call to their heart's content. After seeing that part for long enough, the phone company came out with a new service, now u don�t need to buy a card and text the number to someone so they can enter it into their phone. But rather, you go to any dealer and give them the cell number to charge and the amount, and the dealers uses a small desktop device to send the credit directly to the person�s phone. This has now boosted the rate at which people charge their phones and other people�s phone. Sometimes by the end of the day, someone has bought 10 $10 cards. Before prepaid, getting a bill for $100 for the month would send them into a panic. So these people have money to spend, I for one buy hundreds of dollars worth of prepaid cards in each week, yet I had trouble keeping up with a post paid phone bill before.

Bill:
In my country, all the debit cards that all the different banks keep launching, are all for swiping and online purchases on local sites only. So debit cards are useless if they want to buy from the US and believe me, they all do.

Ira:
I have to find out more about that. Then see how I can utilize their service to my benefit. As for the fraud rate, that non existent, its just that pay pal just started to service this country any at all and so far it�s the only way that they do it. Some years ago, I sent an email to Pay Pal asking them when they will start servicing my country. And they said they had no plans to. I guess the request has been enough for them to react now, but again, it�s only to those with credit cards.

But guys, at the end of it all, I want to give people a service that they are all dying for and charge comfortably for it. The prepaid consumer in this country makes for huge earnings. But the big corporations take forever to respond to people's request, even though when they finally do, it means millions of dollars increase in revenue.

I was at a bank the other day opening an account, and I took the opportunity of polling the customer care rep tending to me. As to why they issue all these variety of debit cards that are useless on the net. Why not a prepaid credit card and he said that �Theservice has been getting request by many customers but the bank doesn�t seem to be responding to it�.
The market is there. The people have money to spend.

What many people do now is to find someone with a credit card and pay them to make the online purchase for them. I want to build on that concept and take it a couple steps higher. And instead of making it like a favor that someone come and ask me for, its more like a business that lets them feel that they can shop for themselves, even though in the end, its still me and my card doing the purchase. Trust me guys, I live here, I know these people I work in radio and television, marketing and producing marketing materials targeting the consumers. I know their mentality. And I haven�t got a shadow of a doubt that this idea will fly if the service is offered. I also know for a fact that I would be the only service provider only for a short time. Because it will be so large, that the banks and other institutions are gonna try to compete with it, finally getting into that arena.

So all I really need is an effective error proof system that will take the users request and make the purchase for them. Without exposing the actual credit card details to them. To respond to Marcel�s first post, in doing so, the actual credit card holder becomes the owner of what is bought. Sad to say that will be the downside of this system. The best I can think of so far is to make it so, we buy the item then issue a sales receipt to the consumer, so it comes off as be bought it and sold it back to them. But believe me, the will not be an hindrance to people.

[Marcel Kollenaar]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Nigel,

Thanks for the clarification. Let me tell you I didn't want to upset you.

[Bill Griffin]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Nigel,

I don't think anyone is saying NOT to do it, but we are trying to understand why you would want to do it. Since this is something that is readily available in the US in the form of a debit card or a prepaid (MC/VISA/AMEX) card, it was difficult for me to understand why you would want to go though this major undertaking. That being said, I wish I could offer suggestions on how to do what you propose, but cannot think of anyway to do what you propose.

Bill

[nigeldude]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Thanks Bill, but unless I�m missing the point and the point is to acquire the cards from the US and distribute them here, then those cards play no role. I'm not in the US. I'm In Belize, Central America.

So is there any possibility to getting those cards from the US and becoming an agent for them here in Belize?

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Hi Nigel,

I don't know if this will help or not:

http://www.trucards.com/

[nigeldude]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Hey Cheryl,
Actually this seems like it is exactly what I need. I've spent the last few days looking over the service and it looks very promising.

after currency conversion and the original cost to purchase the cards plus recharging cost and then my markup, it seems like it will become expensive to the customers. But like I've said before, there's a market here that needs this kind of purchasing power and the altenatives are none.

One question though, do you have any knowledge of their credibility? I mean; is it a ligit service, do u know of anyone that is or has used their service?

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Virtual Credit Card Software

Hi Nigel,

That was more than 'one' question :D

Unfortunately, my answer is NO to all of the questions. I just did a google search on virtual credit cards. I only pointed out that one because I noticed mention of outside countries and resellers wanted.

Perhaps you could contact them and ask them for references?