an authentication or authorization system to facilitate electronic transactions uses simultaneous or substantially simultaneous communications on two different networks to verify a user &# 39 ; s identity . when a user logs onto a site , via the internet , a telephone number , either pre - stored or obtained in real time from the visitor , where the visitor can be called essentially immediately is used to set up , via the switched telephone network another communication link . where the user has multiple communication links available , the telephone call is automatically placed via the authentication or authorization software simultaneously while the user is on - line . in the event that the user has only a single communication link , that individual will have to log off temporarily for purposes of receiving the telephone call . confirmatory information is provided via the internet to the user . the automatically placed telephone call requests that the user feed back this confirmatory information for verification purposes . the telephone number which is being called is adjacent to the user &# 39 ; s internet terminal . the user &# 39 ; s response , via the telephone network , can be compared to the originally transmitted confirmatory information to determine whether the authentication or authorization process should go forward .