US 12,015,924 B2
Multi-MCC code bundle for use in increasing travel security
Nancy T. Carrier, Jacksonville, FL (US); and Brandon Sloane, Charlotte, NC (US)
Assigned to Bank of America Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Bank of America Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/940,518.
Prior Publication US 2022/0038890 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. H04W 12/60 (2021.01); G06N 5/04 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); H04W 12/06 (2021.01)
CPC H04W 12/60 (2021.01) [G06N 5/04 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); H04W 12/06 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A proxy-based method for improving digital security during a user's travel, the method comprising:
determining a bundle of merchant category classification (MCC) codes that reflects a user travel condition, said travel condition associated with a user mobile device;
using the bundle to determine a stationary state of the user mobile device;
using the bundle to determine a travel state of the user mobile device;
when the user mobile device is in the travel state, dynamically updating a characteristic associated with the bundle of MCC codes based on updated travel conditions;
when the device is in the travel state, determining an occurrence of an anomalous user mobile device activity, said determination being based at least in part on comparison of the updated characteristic associated with the bundle of MCC codes and the user travel condition;
in response to a determination of anomalous user mobile device activity, increasing a security level associated with the user mobile device associated with the user;
testing the bundle by testing historical activity associated with the mobile device to determine whether the bundle of MCC codes dispositively indicated the travel state of the mobile device;
testing the bundle to determine if the bundle is dispositive regarding an emergency travel state of the mobile device by testing whether the bundle of MCC codes indicated that the emergency travel state occurred during a travel state associated with the mobile device;
monitoring the bundle, and updating the bundle to maintain codes within the bundle that correspond to travel activity, said monitoring the bundle further comprising determining whether to shift the mobile device from single factor authorization to multifactor authorization; and
iterating through travel related codes not currently in the bundle to obtain, and maintain, the bundle;
wherein the dynamically updating the characteristic comprises dynamically updating the bundle of MCC codes based on verified travel conditions.