The Voice Pay system uses a customer's own voice alongside security checks such as passwords or PIN numbers to verify transactions. A consumer Voice Pay account can also be linked to a physical or virtual Visa or MasterCard.

The application is based on the VoiceVault biometric authentication system developed by Biometric Security Limited which is already used by banks, insurers and public sector organisations.

The Voice Pay patent-pending process has been developed by Ogden, who founded Internet payment processor WorldPay which was sold to the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2002.

Ogden says he worked with Biometric Security for more than a year developing and refining the technology and processes that are now encapsulated in the Voice Pay payment processing system.

"Consumers complete a short, one-time only enrollment process during which a few spoken words are used to generate a unique biometric voiceprint," explains Ogden. "Subsequently whenever a purchase is made, the user voice verifies the transaction over the phone or Internet."

Ogden says the Voice Pay system will improve security and consumer confidence and benefit both consumers and merchants.