US Patent 8225383 Method and system for user-initiated account activation

Some embodiments provide a system that activates an online account. During operation, the system obtains, through a registration interface, authentication information for the online account from a user without obtaining contact information for the user through the registration interface. Next, the system generates an activation credential for the online account using the authentication information and displays the activation credential to the user through the registration interface. Finally, the system activates the online account upon receiving the activation credential from the user through user-initiated communications outside of the registration interface.