THE BILL ITSELF
HB 195
Payment Scam Task Force
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to payment scam task force; creating
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s. 17.675, F.S.; creating the Task Force on Payment
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Scams adjunct to the Department of Financial Services;
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requiring the department to provide administrative and
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staff support relating to the function of the task
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force; defining the terms "payment" and "task force";
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requiring the Chief Financial to establish the task
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force by a specified date; providing the purpose of
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the task force; providing memberships and terms of the
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task force; providing that members serve without
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compensation but are entitled to per diem and travel
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expenses; providing requirements for meetings;
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providing duties of the task force; providing
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reporting requirements; providing for future repeal
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and legislative review of the task force; providing an
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effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 17.675, Florida Statutes, is created to
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read:
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17.675 Task Force on Payment Scams.—
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(1) The Task Force on Payment Scams, a task force as
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defined in s. 20.03(5), is created adjunct to the Department of
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Financial Services. Except as otherwise provided in this
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section, the task force shall operate in a manner consistent
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with s. 20.052. The department shall provide administrative and
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staff support relating to the functions of the task force.
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(2) As used in this section, the term:
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(a) "Payment" means any mechanism through which an
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individual can electronically transfer funds to another
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individual via a platform or intermediary.
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(b) "Task force" means the Task Force on Payment Scams
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created under this section.
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(3) No later than October 1, 2026, the Chief Financial
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Officer shall establish the Task Force on Payment Scams. The
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purpose of the task force is to recognize and avert payment
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scams by doing all of the following:
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(a) Examining current trends and developments in payment
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scams, identifying effective methods for preventing such scams,
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and issuing recommendations to enhance efforts to identify and
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prevent such activities.
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(b) Adopting a cross-sector approach to ensure its
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recommendations reflect the full scope of the issue, given that
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scams impact individuals across a wide range of industries,
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including financial services, telecommunications, and
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technology.
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(c) Including representation from stakeholders with direct
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experience supporting victims of scams, as well as industry
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participants with insight into scam tactics and prevention
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strategies.
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(4)(a) The task force shall be chaired by the Chief
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Financial Officer or his or her designee and shall consist of
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representatives from the following:
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1. The Commissioner of Agriculture.
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2. The Attorney General.
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3. The Division of Treasury of the Department of Financial
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Services.
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4. The Department of Commerce.
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5. The Financial Crime Analysis Center of the Department
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of Law Enforcement.
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6. The Financial Transaction Database of the Department of
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Law Enforcement.
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7. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from a financial
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institution with expertise in identifying, preventing, and
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combating payment scams.
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8. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from a credit union
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with expertise in identifying, preventing, and combating payment
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scams.
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9. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from a digital
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payment network with expertise in identifying, preventing, and
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combating payment scams.
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10. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from a community
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bank.
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11. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from a consumer
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group.
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12. A representative, appointed by the Chief Financial
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Officer in consultation with the task force, from an industry
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association representing technology or online platforms.
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13. Not more than five representatives appointed by the
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Chief Financial Officer to represent victims, scam support
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networks, and other relevant stakeholders in order to better
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assist consumers and stakeholders.
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(b) Members of the task force shall serve until the
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termination of the task force. Any vacancy occurring in the
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membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner
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in which the original appointment was made.
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(c) Members of the task force:
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1. Shall serve without compensation, except that employees
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of this state shall receive the same salaries and benefits as
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they would without serving on the task force.
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2. Are entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and
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travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061.
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(d) The task force shall meet at least three times during
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the 1-year period beginning on October 1, 2026, and thereafter
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at such times and places, and by such means, as the chair of the
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task force determines to be appropriate, which may include the
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use of remote conference technology.
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(5) The duties of the task force include all of the
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following:
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(a) Evaluating best practices for combating methods used
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by scammers, including spoofed calls, scam text messages, and
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malicious advertisements, pop-ups, and websites.
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(b) Assessing how other state, federal, and international
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jurisdictions have tried to prevent payment scams.
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(c) Identifying and reviewing current methods used to scam
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a consumer through payment platforms.
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(d) Determining a strategy for education programs that
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better equip consumers to identify, avoid, and report payment
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scam attempts to the appropriate authorities.
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(e) Coordinating efforts to ensure perpetrators of payment
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scams can be identified and pursued by law enforcement.
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(f) Consulting with other relevant stakeholders, including
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federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and financial
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services providers.
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(g) Determining whether any additional legislation would
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be beneficial for law enforcement and industry in mitigating
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payment scams.
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(h) Identifying potential solutions to payment scams
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involving business e-mail compromise.
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(6)(a) No later than 1 year after the date on which the
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Chief of Financial Officer establishes the task force, the task
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force shall submit to the President of the Senate and the
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Speaker of the House of Representatives and make publicly
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available online a report detailing all of the following:
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1. The results of the reviews and evaluations of the task
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force under subsection (5).
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2. The strategy identified under subsection (5).
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3. Any legislative or regulatory recommendations that
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would enhance the ability to detect and prevent payment scams
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described in subsection (5).
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4. Recommendations to enhance cooperation among federal,
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state, local, and tribal authorities in the investigation and
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prosecution of scams and other financial crimes, including
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harmonizing data collection, improving reporting mechanisms and
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streams, estimating the number of complaints and consumers
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affected, and evaluating the effectiveness of anti-scam training
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programs.
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(b) After submitting an initial report required under
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paragraph (a), the task force shall submit every year to the
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President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives and make publicly available online an updated
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version of the report.
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(7) In accordance with s. 20.052(8), this section is
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repealed October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
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through reenactment by the Legislature.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.