A method for auditing postage dispensing transactions at a postal facility includes
the steps of: receiving in a secure processor based device a request to dispense
an amount of postage; updating, in response to the request, accounting data within
the secure processor based device to account for the amount of postage; cryptographically
securing the updated accounting data in the secure processor based device; dispensing
the amount of postage by generating and applying the cryptographically, secured,
updated accounting data to a mailpiece. The method further includes receiving cash
value for the amount of postage dispensed; sending from the secure processor based
device to an administrative computer a cryptographically secure message including
the updated accounting data; obtaining and comparing, at the administrative computer,
the updated accounting data from the secure message with the cash value received
and previous updated accounting data received from a previous secure message from
the secure processor based device, and determining if any inconsistencies exist
based on the comparing; and obtaining and analyzing, at a funds management computer,
the updated accounting data from the mailpiece and the updated accounting data
from the secure message and determining if any inconsistencies exist based on the
analyzing. An apparatus incorporates the method.
