Article 2. Actions Involving The Conduct Of Business By Unauthorized Persons of California Financial Code >> Division 1. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 2.

No person who has not received a certificate from the commissioner authorizing it to engage in the banking business shall solicit or receive deposits, issue certificates of deposit with or without provision for interest, make payments on checks, or transact business in the way or manner of a bank or trust company.

No person who has not received a certificate from the commissioner authorizing it to engage in the banking business shall advertise that it is accepting deposits, and issuing notes or certificates therefore, or make use of any office sign, at the place where its business is transacted, having thereon any artificial or corporate name, or other words indicating that the place or office is the place or office of a bank or trust company, that deposits are received there or payments made on checks, or any other form of banking business is transacted, nor shall any person make use of or circulate any letterheads, billheads, blank notes, blank receipts, certificates, or circulars, or any written or printed paper, whatever, having thereon any artificial or corporate name or other words indicating that the business is the business of a bank or trust company, or transact business in a way or manner as to lead the public to believe that its business is that of a bank or trust company, except to the extent expressly authorized by this division.

No person who has not received a certificate from the commissioner authorizing it to engage in the banking business shall transact business under any name or title that contains the word "bank" or "banker" or "banking" or "industrial bank" or "industrial loan company" or "investment and loan" or "savings bank" or "thrift and loan" or "trust" or "trustee" or "trust company" or act or advertise in any manner that indicates that the business is the business of a bank or trust company. Any building and loan association or savings association having in its corporate name words not clearly indicating the nature of its business shall state, on all signs, letterheads, and advertising matter, "This is a building and loan association" or "This is a savings association" or words to that effect.

No provision of Section 560, 561, or 562 prohibits any of the following from transacting any business or performing any activity if it is authorized by applicable law to transact the business or perform the activity and is not prohibited by any applicable law, other than Section 560, 561, or 562, from transacting the business or performing the activity:
  (a) Any California state commercial bank, industrial bank, or trust company.
  (b) Any national bank.
  (c) Any insured foreign (other state) state bank.
  (d) Any foreign (other state) state bank that is licensed by the commissioner under Article 3 (commencing with Section 1700) of Chapter 19 of Division 1.1 to maintain a facility, as defined in Section 1670, in this state.
  (e) Any foreign (other nation) bank that is licensed by the commissioner under Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 1750) of Division 1.1 to maintain an office in this state.
  (f) Any foreign (other nation) bank that maintains a federal agency, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 1750, or federal branch, as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 1750, in this state.
  (g) Any California state corporation that is incorporated for the purpose of engaging in, and that is authorized by the commissioner to engage in, business under Article 1 (commencing with Section 1850) of Chapter 21 of Division 1.1.
  (h) Any corporation incorporated under Section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 612 et seq.).
  (i) Any foreign corporation that is licensed by the commissioner under Article 1 (commencing with Section 1850) of Chapter 21 of Division 1.1 to maintain an office in this state and to transact at that office business under Article 1 (commencing with Section 1850) of Chapter 21 of Division 1.1.
  (j) Any industrial bank that is organized under the laws of another state of the United States and is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Any person or any bank violating any provision of the foregoing sections of this article shall be liable to the people of the state in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per day or part thereof during which that violation continues.

No person shall represent by advertisement, circular, or otherwise, or in any manner mislead anyone to believe, that any securities are legal investments for savings banks in this state or conform to the requirements of law relating to such investments, unless those securities are in fact at that time legal investments for such banks or do in fact so conform. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(a) The commissioner may bring an action in the name of the people of this state in superior court to enjoin any violation of, to enforce compliance with, or to collect any penalty or other liability imposed under, any law subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner. The commissioner may bring an action in the name of the people of this state in superior court to enjoin any violation of, to enforce compliance with, or to collect any penalty or other liability imposed under, any regulation promulgated under the power of the commissioner. The commissioner may bring an action in the name of the people of this state in superior court to enjoin any violation of, to enforce compliance with, or to collect any penalty or other liability imposed under, any (1) agreement entered into with the commissioner or (2) order issued by the commissioner. Upon a proper showing, a permanent or preliminary injunction, restraining order, or writ of mandate shall be granted, and a monitor, receiver, conservator, or other designated fiduciary or officer of the court may be appointed for the defendant or the defendant's assets, or other relief may be granted as appropriate.
  (b) A receiver, monitor, conservator, or other designated fiduciary officer of the court appointed by the court pursuant to this section may, with the approval of the court, exercise all of the powers of the defendant's officers, directors, partners, trustees, or persons who exercise similar powers and perform similar duties. No action at law or in equity may be maintained by any party against the commissioner or a receiver, monitor, conservator, or other designated fiduciary or officer of the court by reason of his or her exercise of those powers or performing these duties pursuant to the order of, or with the approval of, the court.
  (c) If the commissioner finds that it is in the public interest, the commissioner may include in any action authorized by subdivision (a) a claim for ancillary relief, including a claim for restitution, disgorgement, or damages on behalf of the person injured by the act or practice constituting the subject matter of the action, and the court shall have jurisdiction to award ancillary relief.
  (d) Neither the provision of subdivision (a) that authorizes the appointment of a monitor, receiver, conservator, or other designated fiduciary or officer of the court nor any provision of subdivision (b) or (c) applies to any of the following:
  (1) A licensee that is authorized by the commissioner to transact appropriate licensee business.
  (2) A foreign (other state) or foreign (other nation) bank or credit union that maintains an office in this state in accordance with federal law, the law of this state, and the law of the bank or credit union's domicile.
  (e) The provisions of this section that authorize the commissioner to bring actions and seek relief are not intended to, and do not, affect any right that any other person may have to bring the same or similar actions or to seek the same or similar relief.

If the commissioner finds that a person has conducted, or that there is reasonable cause to believe that a person is about to conduct, business that requires a license issued by the commissioner and that person has not been issued the required license, the commissioner may, without any prior notice or hearing, order the person to cease and desist from conducting any unauthorized business unless and until the person is issued a license to engage in appropriate licensee business.