The present invention is directed to methods of, and systems for, allowing an
account participant to add value via a wide-area network to a first account from
a second account. A first account server coupled to a wide-area network supports
the first account. In a preferred embodiment the wide-area-network-accessible value
transfer station (VTS) includes a central processing unit for executing instructions,
and a memory unit. The memory unit includes an operating system, software for receiving
from a participant via the network a) second account identification information,
and b) a value that the participant desires to transfer to the first account from
the second account, second account verification software for receiving the second
account identification number from said receiving software and for verifying that
the second account authorizes the transfer of the specified value, and value transfer
software for receiving a value from the receiving software, for receiving a verification
from the verification software, and for transferring the specified value to the
first account from the second account if the verification is received. The wide-area-network-accessible
VTS further includes conductive interconnects connecting the central processing
unit and the memory unit to allow portions of the wide-area-network-accessible
value transfer station to communicate and to allow the central processing unit
to execute the software in the memory unit.