System and method for determining user identity fraud using similarity searching

1. A method for verifying an identity of a new-user of a computer system, comprising:

a. receiving at least one identity attribute from the new-user;

b. similarity searching the at least one new-user identity attribute against at least one database of denied-user identity attributes;

c. receiving a similarity search result;

d. determining a positive or negative similarity match between the at least one new-user identity attribute and the denied-user identity attributes based on the similarity search results;

e. allowing the new-user to access the computer system, where a negative similarity match has been determined; and

f. denying the new-user access to the computer system, where a positive similarity match has been determined.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one new-user identity attribute comprises a new-user profile.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes comprises at least one database of denied-user profiles.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of similarity searching comprises similarity searching the new-user profile against the at least one denied-user profile database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a positive or negative similarity match further comprises comparing the similarity search result to a first match tolerance level.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a positive similarity match comprises a similarity match, between the at least one new-user identity attribute and at least one denied-user identity attribute, that meets or exceeds the first match tolerance level.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein a negative similarity match comprises a similarity match, between the at least one new-user identity attribute and at least one denied-user identity attribute, that does not meet or exceed the first match tolerance level.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, where a positive similarity match has been determined, verifying the positive similarity match via a secondary review, after the step of determining whether a positive or negative similarity match exists and before the step of denying the new-user access to the computer system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of verifying the positive similarity match further comprises comparing the similarity search result to a second match tolerance level.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising allowing the new-user to access the computer system, where the positive similarity match does not meet or exceed the second match tolerance level.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising denying the new-user access to the computer system, where the positive similarity match meets or exceeds the second match tolerance level.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after determining whether a positive or negative similarity match exists, the steps of:

adding the new-user identity to at least one database of valid user identities, where a negative similarity match has been determined; and

adding the new-user identity attributes to the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes, where a positive similarity match has been determined.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one new-user identity attribute is received from at least one component, chosen from a group consisting of Internet web sites, relational databases, data entry systems, and hierarchical databases.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the similarity search result comprises at least one hierarchical document stored in the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes.

15. A method for verifying an identity of a new-user of a computer system, comprising:

a. receiving at least one identity attribute from the new-user;

b. similarity searching the at least one identity attribute against at least one database of denied-user identity attributes;

c. receiving a similarity search result;

d. determining a positive or negative similarity match between the at least one new-user identity attribute and the denied-user identity attributes based on the similarity search result;

e. allowing the new-user to access the computer system and adding the new-user identity to at least one database of valid user identities, where a negative similarity match has been determined;

f. where a positive similarity match has been determined, verifying the positive similarity match via a secondary review;

g. allowing the new-user to access the computer system and adding the new-user identity to at least one database of valid user identities, where the positive similarity match is not verified; and

h. denying the new-user access to the computer system and adding the at least one new-user identity attribute to at least one database of denied-user identity attributes, where the positive similarity match is verified.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one new-user identity attribute comprises a new-user profile.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes comprises at least one database of denied-user profiles.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of similarity searching comprises similarity searching the new-user profile against the at least one denied-user profile database.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a positive or negative similarity match further comprises comparing the similarity search result to a first match tolerance level.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein a positive similarity match comprises a similarity match, between the at least one new-user identity attribute and at least one denied-user identity attribute, that meets or exceeds the first match tolerance level.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein a negative similarity match comprises a similarity match, between the at least one new-user identity attribute and at least one denied-user identity attribute, that does not meet or exceed the first match tolerance level.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of verifying the positive similarity match further comprises comparing the similarity search result to a second match tolerance level.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one new-user identity attribute is received from at least one component, chosen from a group consisting of Internet web sites, relational databases, data entry systems, and hierarchical databases.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the similarity search result comprises at least one hierarchical document stored in the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes.

25. A system for verifying an identity of a new-user of a computer system, comprising:

a means for receiving at least one identity attribute from the new-user;

at least one database for storing denied-user identity attributes;

at least one database for storing valid user identities;

a means for similarity searching the at least one identity attribute against the at least one database of denied-user attributes;

a means for determining a positive or negative similarity match between the at least one new-user attribute and the at least one database of denied-user identity attributes;

a means for allowing the new-user to access the computer system, where a negative similarity match has been determined;

a means for denying the new-user access to the computer system, where a positive similarity match has been determined;

a means for adding the new-user identity to the at least one database for storing valid user identities, where a negative similarity match has been determined; and

a means for adding the at least one new-user identity attribute to the at least one database of denied-user attributes, where a positive similarity match has been determined.

26. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to implement the method of claim 1 .

27. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to implement the method of claim 15 .

28. A method for verifying an identity of a new user of a computer system, comprising:

similarity searching one or more new user identity attribute profile data records against denied-user identity attribute profile data records;

receiving one or more similarity search results sets, each result set having a corresponding new user identity attribute profile data record and a corresponding similarity match score;

comparing each similarity match score with a pre-determined match tolerance level for determining negative similarity match scores and positive similarity match scores;

for each negative similarity match score having a value of less than or equal to the pre-determined match tolerance level, allowing access to the computer system by a new user associated with a new user identity attribute profile data record corresponding to a negative similarity match score; and

for each positive similarity match score having a value greater than the pre-determined match tolerance level, denying access to the computer system by a new user associated with a new user identity attribute profile data record corresponding to a positive similarity match score.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the step of denying access comprises:

confirming whether the positive similarity match score exists between the new user identity attribute profile data record and a corresponding suspended-users identity attribute profile data record;

allowing a new user associated with a new user identity attribute profile data record corresponding to a positive similarity match score to access the computer system, where the positive similarity match score is not confirmed; and

denying a new user associated with a new user identity attribute profile data record corresponding to a positive similarity match score access to the computer system, where the positive similarity match score is confirmed.