1. A computer-server-based method for distributing an incentive from a communication device of a merchant to a communication device of a consumer, the computer-server-based method comprising: receiving, at a computer server, a request from the communication device of the merchant to distribute the incentive to the communication device of the consumer; receiving, at the computer server, a phone number of the communication device of the consumer; associating, at the computer server, the incentive with the phone number of the communication device of the consumer; transmitting a notification of the incentive to the communication device of the consumer; and storing an account number of the consumer identifiable to the merchant at the computer server instead of at the communication device of the consumer such that the computer server communicates with the communication device of the consumer to redeem the incentive to the merchant on behalf of the consumer.