Method and apparatus for staging send transactions

1. A method comprising:

receiving registration information and money transfer transaction specifications from an access portal, the registration information identifying a payment source for staging a plurality of staged send transactions based on the money transfer transaction specifications;

generating a customer profile based on the registration information; storing the money transfer transaction specifications in the customer profile;

identifying the customer profile in response to an initiation instruction and associated authentication data received from a customer, wherein the customer profile includes the staged send transactions defined in transaction specification records and the customer initiates one or more of the staged send transactions remotely with a mobile device;

identifying one of the money transfer transaction specifications, based on the initiation instruction;

verifying a status of the payment source for funding one of the staged send transactions, according to the identified money transfer transaction specification; and

initiating the staged send transaction for delivery of a send amount based on the status of the payment source at a time the send transaction is initiated;

wherein the send amount is set at a time of the initiation instruction and is not included in the identified money transfer transaction specification; and

tracking debits from the one or more initiated transactions in the transaction specification records, for retail purchases at participating merchants.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access portal comprises a personal computer, mobile computer, mobile phone or personal data assistant.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the authentication data are stored on the mobile device; and

the authentication data comprise a digital signature or biometric data presented by the customer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction specification records specify a recipient and delivery options therefor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the transaction specification records contain compliance information relevant to the transactions.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising initiating the send transaction in response to timing parameters, wherein the customer need take no additional initiation actions.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

awaiting customer contact; and

receiving customer contact, wherein the customer proceeds with a transaction or changes the customer profile.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising through data exchange with the settlement system, tracking debits from ATM withdrawals.

9. A system comprising:

an access portal configured to receive registration information and money transfer transaction specifications, the registration information identifying a payment source for staging a plurality of send transactions based on the money transfer transaction specifications;

a database configured to store a customer profile based on the registration information, wherein the money transfer transaction specifications are stored in the customer profile; and

a controller configured to:

identify one of the money transfer transaction specifications stored in the customer profile in response to an initiation instruction and associated user authentication data, wherein the customer profile includes the staged send transactions defined in transaction specification records and the customer initiates one or more of the staged send transactions remotely with a mobile device;

verify a status of the payment source for funding one of the staged send transactions, according to the identified money transfer transaction specification; and

initiate the staged send transaction for delivery of a send amount, based on the payment source having available funds for the delivery at a time the send transaction is initiated;

wherein the send amount is determined at the time the send transaction is initiated and is not included in the identified money transfer transaction specification; and

wherein debits are tracked from the initiated transaction in the transaction specification records, for retail purchases at participating merchants.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the access portal comprises a personal computer, mobile computer, mobile phone or personal data assistant.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the authentication data comprise a digital signature stored on the mobile device or biometric data presented by the customer.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein debits are tracked from ATM withdrawals through data exchange with the settlement system.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising coordinating credits to the payment source, whereby the payment source is a prepaid card.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein portal-based control over initiating the staged send transaction is configured into a security filter logic in the controller, the security filter logic adapted to prevent initiating the transaction based on the access portal and the authentication information.

15. A method comprising:

receiving registration information and money transfer transaction specifications from an access portal, the registration information identifying a payment source for staging a plurality of staged send transactions based on the money transfer transaction specifications;

generating a customer profile based on the registration information; storing the money transfer transaction specifications in the customer profile;

identifying the customer profile in response to an initiation instruction and associated authentication data received from a customer, wherein the customer profile includes the staged send transactions defined in transaction specification records and the customer uses the access portal to initiate one or more of the staged send transactions remotely, more than once, working with a mobile device;

identifying one of the money transfer transaction specifications, based on the initiation instruction;

verifying a status of the payment source for funding one of the staged send transactions, according to the identified money transfer transaction specification;

initiating the staged send transaction for delivery of a send amount based on the status of the payment source at a time the send transaction is initiated; and

through data exchange with a settlement system, tracking debits from the one or more initiated transactions in the transaction specification records, for retail purchases at participating merchants;

wherein the send amount is set at a time of the initiation instruction and is not included in the identified money transfer transaction specification.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the authentication data comprise a digital signature stored on the mobile device or biometric data presented by the customer.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the customer specifying for inclusion in the customer profile one or more transactions to initiate more than once, the transactions defined in the transaction specification records, the transaction specification records specifying a recipient and delivery options therefor.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising through data exchange with the settlement system, tracking debits from ATM withdrawals.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising coordinating credits to the payment source, whereby the payment source is a prepaid card.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring portal-based control over initiating the staged send transaction into a security filter logic adapted to prevent initiating the transaction based on the access portal and the authentication information.