The invention provides a credit card verification system, including a credit
card company data storage and communication unit (4) for recording and storing
data concerning authorized credit card holders, including an electronically reproducible
image of each credit card holder, means (6) for introducing the image into
the company data storage unit, and at least one remotely positioned credit card
reader (10) and image display meants (12) communicating with the
company data storage unit, for selectively retrieving data from the storage unit
to be displayed on the image display means, to be viewed and approved by the person
providing sales services. The invention also provides a method for verifying the
identity of a credit card holder effecting a tansaction and a method enabling credit
companies to monitor and verify credit card holder identity when a payment transaction
is performed at a sales terminal.
