A transaction settlement system and method for internet and other trading over a telecommunications network. Customer computers and merchant computers are connected to customer account servers and merchant account servers respectively, the former maintains a customer account and conducts the financial aspects of the transaction with the merchant server without revealing the customers identity. The sequence of the messages are such that once in message M4, the customer computer instructs the customer accounts server to accept the transaction and the customer accounts server accepts it, the customer accounts server deals with the merchant accounts server to settle the account in accordance with agreed procedures. The merchant can have surely of payment. There is also provided methods to deliver coupons, e.g. discount coupons and to ship goods with anonymity.
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of co-pending PCT International Application No. PCT/IB01/00022 filed on Feb. 12, 2001, which was published in English and which designated the United States and on which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. PCT International Application No. PCT/IB01/00022 filed on Feb. 12, 2001 is an international application of Application No. S2000-0121 filed in Ireland on Feb. 11, 2000, which priority is claimed.
