Proxy system for customer confidentiality

摘要

A system and method for allowing customers to make purchases and take delivery of goods or services with a desired level of security and confidentiality are disclosed. The system and method enable a customer (user) (120) to effect a purchase and a delivery of goods or sevices from a merchant (130) without revealing selected real user data to the merchant. In one embodiment, the system includes proxy user data generator for generating proxy user data (144) corresponding with selected real user data, a database for storing the selected real user data and the corresponding proxy user data, and a purchase authorization request and reply router connectable to a network for routing purchase authorization requests and replies between a system includes a unit for providing real delivery data corresponding with proxy delivery data to a delivery entity (150). The system and method are useful for making purchases and taking delivery from either traditional retail outlets or on-line merchants.