Fla. Stat. § 655.922 — Florida Code / Title XXXVIII / Chapter 655 / Section 655.922
655.922 Banking business by unauthorized persons; use of name.
Status: in_force

(1) Only a financial institution authorized to do business in this state pursuant to the financial institutions codes of any state or federal law may engage in the business of soliciting or receiving funds for deposit, issuing certificates of deposit, or paying checks in this state; and only such financial institution may establish or maintain a place of business in this state for any of the functions, transactions, or purposes identified in this subsection. A person who violates this subsection commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. This subsection does not prohibit the issuance or sale by a financial institution of traveler’s checks, money orders, or other instruments for the transmission or payment of money, by or through employees or agents of the financial institution off the financial institution’s premises.

(2) Only a financial institution authorized to do business in this state as provided under subsection (1) may: (a) Transact or solicit business under any name or title that contains the words “bank,” “banc,” “banco,” “banque,” “banker,” “banking,” “trust company,” “savings and loan association,” “savings bank,” or “credit union,” or words of similar import, in any context or in any manner; (b) Use any name, word, trademark, service mark, trade name, Internet address, logo, sign, symbol, or device in any context or in any manner; or (c) Circulate or use any letterhead, billhead, circular, paper, electronic media, Internet website or posting, or writing of any kind or otherwise advertise or represent in any manner, which indicates or reasonably implies that the business being solicited, conducted, or advertised is the kind or character of business transacted or conducted by a financial institution or which is likely to lead any person to believe that such business is that of a financial institution; however, the words “bank,” “banc,” “banco,” “banque,” “banker,” “banking,” “trust company,” “savings and loan association,” “savings bank,” or “credit union,” or the plural of any thereof, may be used by, and in the corporate or other name or title of, any company that is or becomes a holding company of a financial institution pursuant to state or federal law; any subsidiary of such holding company which includes as a part of its name or title all or any part, or abbreviations, of the name or title of the holding company of which it is a subsidiary; any trade organization or association, whether or not incorporated, functioning for the purpose of promoting the interests of financial institutions or holding companies, the active members of which are financial institutions or holding companies; and any international development bank chartered pursuant to part II of chapter 663.

(3) A person may not use the name, trademark, service mark, trade name, Internet address, or logo of a financial institution or an affiliate or subsidiary thereof, or use a name similar to that of a financial institution or an affiliate or subsidiary thereof, to market or solicit business from a customer or prospective customer of such institution if: (a) The solicitation is done without the written consent of the financial institution or its affiliate or subsidiary; and (b) A reasonable person would believe that the materials originated from, are endorsed by, or are connected with the financial institution or its affiliates or subsidiaries.

(4) A financial institution, affiliate, subsidiary, or service corporation may not do business, solicit, or advertise in this state using a name, trademark, service mark, trade name, Internet address, or logo that may mislead consumers or cause confusion as to the identification of the proper legal business entity or the nature of the financial institution’s business.

(5) Any court, in a proceeding brought by the office, by a financial institution the principal place of business of which is in this state, or by any other person residing or whose principal place of business is in this state and whose interests are substantially affected thereby, may enjoin any person from violating any provision of this section. Except for a financial institution duly chartered by the office, the office may also seek an order from the circuit court for the annulment or dissolution of a corporation or any other business entity found violating any provision of this section. For the purposes of this subsection, the interests of a trade organization or association are deemed to be substantially affected if the interests of its members are so affected. The office may also issue and serve upon any person who violates any provision of this section an emergency cease and desist order or a complaint seeking a cease and desist order in accordance with s. 655.033. The office is not required to make any finding or determination that a violation of this section is likely to result in insolvency, substantial dissipation of assets or earnings, or substantial prejudice to any person in association with the issuance of an emergency cease and desist order.

(6) This section does not prohibit the lawful establishment or operation of a financial institution, affiliate, subsidiary, or service corporation or prohibit any advertisement or other activity in this state by any person if such prohibition would contravene any applicable federal law that preempts the law of this state.

History: s. 59, ch. 92-303; s. 12, ch. 96-168; s. 1734, ch. 2003-261; s. 11, ch. 2004-340; s. 94, ch. 2004-390; s. 101, ch. 2013-18; s. 15, ch. 2014-91.