Presentation instrument with user-created pin

1. A method for activating a presentation instrument using a computerized network, the presentation instrument having a pre-sold state in which the presentation instrument has not yet been sold, a sold state in which the instrument has been purchased but is not yet active, and an active state in which the presentation instrument has been activated, the method comprising:

providing a presentation instrument package comprising a presentation instrument in a pre-sold state coupled to a carrier;

reading a package identifier on the presentation instrument package and transmitting the package identifier to the host computer system to indicate that the presentation instrument has been purchased;

removing the presentation instrument from the carrier;

transmitting an access code and a presentation instrument identifier obtained from the presentation instrument to the host computer system to activate the presentation instrument;

selecting a personal identifier;

transmitting the personal identifier to the host computer system.

2. A method as in claim 1 , replacing the access code with the personal identifier at the host computer system.

3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the package identifier comprises a UPC symbol and an account identifier, and wherein the UPC symbol contains information selected from a group consisting of a dollar amount for the presentation instrument, a fee associated with the presentation instrument and a type of presentation instrument.

4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the package identifier further comprises an account identifier associated with the presentation instrument identifier.

5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the host computer system includes a status associated with the presentation instrument identifier, and further comprising changing the status to sold when the host computer system receives the package identifier.

6. A method as in claim 5 , further comprising changing the status from sold to active when receiving the access code and the presentation instrument identifier.

7. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising a merchant confirming receipt of payment prior to transmitting the identifier to the host computer system.

8. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising transmitting to the host computer system information on a payment vehicle used to purchase the presentation instrument package, and evaluating the information on the payment vehicle for fraudulent behavior.

9. A method as in claim 8 , wherein the fraudulent behavior is based on a number of times the payment vehicle was used during a certain time period or a number of presentation instrument packages purchased with the payment vehicle over a certain time.

10. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising accessing an interactive voice response (IVR) system, and wherein the access code, the presentation instrument identifier and the personal identifier are provided to the IVR system.

11. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising making a purchase using the presentation instrument at a point of sale (POS) device by reading the presentation instrument identifier at the POS device an entering the personal identifier.

12. A method as in claim 11 , further comprising evaluating the presentation instrument identifier received from the POS device to determine a status and declining the transaction if not yet activated.

13. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising evaluating an expiration date associated with the presentation instrument at a time of sale of the presentation instrument, and transmitting from the host computer system a decline message if the expiration date is less than a certain time.

14. A method for activating a presentation instrument, comprising:

flagging, in a database on a host computer system, a presentation instrument as pre-sold;

receiving at the host computer system a package identifier indicating that the presentation instrument has been purchased;

flagging the presentation instrument as sold but not yet active;

receiving at the host computer system an access code and a presentation instrument identifier from the presentation instrument that has been purchased;

receiving a personal identifier and recording the personal identifier in association with the presentation instrument identifier; and

flagging the presentation instrument as active.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the host computer system includes an interactive voice response (IVR) unit, and wherein the access code, the presentation instrument identifier and the personal identifier are received at the IVR unit.

16. A computerized presentation instrument activation and processing system, comprising:

a host computer system having at least one processor and at least one database having a record of presentation instrument identifiers and a status of each of the presentation instrument identifiers, wherein the host computer system is configured to flag a presentation instrument as not yet sold, to receive a package identifier indicating that a presentation instrument has been purchased and to flag the presentation instrument as sold but not yet active, and to further receive an access code, a presentation instrument identifier from a presentation instrument that has been purchased and a personal identifier, to record in the database the personal identifier in association with the presentation instrument identifier, and to flag the presentation instrument as active.

17. A system as in claim 16 , wherein the database has a record of UPC symbols containing information selected from a group consisting of a dollar amount for the presentation instrument, a fee associated with the presentation instrument and a type of presentation instrument.

18. A system as in claim 16 , wherein the host computer system further includes an interactive voice response (IVR) unit that is configured to receive presentation instrument identifiers, access codes and personal identifiers.

19. A system as in claim 16 , wherein the host computer system is configured to receive information on a payment vehicle used to purchase a presentation instrument and to flag fraudulent behavior based on a number of times the payment vehicle was used during a certain time period or a number of presentation instrument packages purchased with the payment vehicle over a certain time.

20. A method for activating a presentation instrument, the method comprising:

recording in a database at a host computer system that the presentation instrument has not yet been sold;

receiving at the host computer system an indication that the presentation instrument has been purchased;

recording in the database that the presentation instrument has been sold and remains inactive;

receiving at the host computer system an indication that the presentation instrument is to be activated; and

recording in the database that the presentation instrument has been activated.

21. A method for processing a presentation instrument activation request, the method comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a presentation instrument identifier identifying a presentation instrument, and an indication that the presentation instrument is to be activated;

accessing, based on the presentation instrument identifier, a database stored on a computer readable medium, the database comprising a recorded status of the presentation instrument;

recognizing that the recorded status indicates that the presentation instrument has not been the subject of a sale transaction; and

declining to activate the presentation instrument.

22. A method of processing a purchase transaction approval request, the method, comprising:

receiving at a host computer system a purchase transaction approval request comprising a presentation instrument identifier identifying a presentation instrument presented at a point of sale for payment in the purchase transaction;

accessing, based on the presentation instrument identifier, a database stored on a computer readable medium, the database comprising a recorded status of the presentation instrument;

recognizing that the recorded status indicates that the presentation instrument has not been the subject of a sale transaction;

declining to authorize the purchase transaction; and

sending a decline message to the point of sale.