Not so. I just tried the Credit Karma and it failed to verify my identity even though I have 3 US credit cards and 1 Chequing account. It's been over 6 months that I have them.

In the US there are 3 major credit bureaus: EquiFax, Experian and TransUnion.

Not all Banks check all of them. Barclay, for instance, told me that I have nothing in Experian.

I'm guessing it would take a year to build a proper credit history in all major bureaus.

Feb 2nd, 2014 11:48 pm

#1543

andriykoua: Banned; Jun 15, 2010; 7062 posts; 2436 upvotes; Niagara Falls

Feb 2nd, 2014 11:48 pm

radiko wrote: ↑Not so. I just tried the Credit Karma and it failed to verify my identity even though I have 3 US credit cards and 1 Chequing account. It's been over 6 months that I have them.

In the US there are 3 major credit bureaus: EquiFax, Experian and TransUnion.

Not all Banks check all of them. Barclay, for instance, told me that I have nothing in Experian.

I'm guessing it would take a year to build a proper credit history in all major bureaus.

Edit: ooops sorry double post... 1st time it reported an error

I started with Mary's store credit card in in 2006 and moved my way to Amex and discover. It's fairly easy to get Boa Visa if you visit a branch. You would need Canadian Passport and D/L + US mailing address

Feb 2nd, 2014 11:49 pm

#1544

andriykoua: Banned; Jun 15, 2010; 7062 posts; 2436 upvotes; Niagara Falls

Feb 2nd, 2014 11:49 pm

radiko wrote: ↑AFAIK, SSN is only numbers. Have you ever saw an SSN field in an Application that asks for more than 9 numbers?

SSN and Sin are both 9 characters long. As far as I know from auto generators SSN has letters. I never seen a real one lol

Feb 3rd, 2014 3:09 am

#1545

redboy69: Deal Addict; Sep 15, 2008; 1634 posts; 4230 upvotes; Pawtucket

Feb 3rd, 2014 3:09 am

andriykoua wrote: ↑Nothing would happen. US/can credit history are kept separate, also if you ever more to US and get SSN, have banks update your SIN with SSN, the only thing that would happen is that you would end up with a credit file and with good credit history. Treat SIN like imaginary number, because technically you can provide them with a fake #.

I would agree that the US and Canada credit history is kept separate. All of my US issued credit cards were applied using my US address and none of them show up on my Equifax Canada reports. However, when I used my Canadian address when I applied for my Target US and that shows up as a Credit Inquiry on my Equifax Canada report.

I'm just surprised that I actually have a FICO score.

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:02 am

#1546

radiko: Sr. Member; Nov 23, 2010; 687 posts; 116 upvotes; Montreal

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:02 am

redboy69 wrote: ↑I would agree that the US and Canada credit history is kept separate. All of my US issued credit cards were applied using my US address and none of them show up on my Equifax Canada reports. However, when I used my Canadian address when I applied for my Target US and that shows up as a Credit Inquiry on my Equifax Canada report.

I'm just surprised that I actually have a FICO score.

How long it's been since you applied for your first US CC?

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:53 am

#1547

daverobev: Deal Addict; Dec 8, 2010; 2552 posts; 982 upvotes

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:53 am

andriykoua wrote: ↑SSN and Sin are never the same as SSN has letters and numbers, and SIN has numbers only. I hope I've answered your question.

Absolutely wrong. SSN does not have letters in. 9 digits, they just format it differently (xxx-xx-xxxx rather than xxx-xxx-xxx) - which doesn't mean they can't overlap!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 944AAS8pZv

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:56 am

#1548

daverobev: Deal Addict; Dec 8, 2010; 2552 posts; 982 upvotes

Feb 3rd, 2014 8:56 am

redboy69 wrote: ↑I would agree that the US and Canada credit history is kept separate. All of my US issued credit cards were applied using my US address and none of them show up on my Equifax Canada reports. However, when I used my Canadian address when I applied for my Target US and that shows up as a Credit Inquiry on my Equifax Canada report.

I'm just surprised that I actually have a FICO score.

If you have credit, you'll have a file; if you have a file, they can generate a score off it!

I just got RBC (US) to report to my *ITIN* but as yet I have no US address (I want the statements to come here, there is apparently no secondary address on the RBC card...), I wonder how that'll work.

Feb 3rd, 2014 9:19 am

#1549

andriykoua: Banned; Jun 15, 2010; 7062 posts; 2436 upvotes; Niagara Falls

Feb 3rd, 2014 9:19 am

daverobev wrote: ↑Absolutely wrong. SSN does not have letters in. 9 digits, they just format it differently (xxx-xx-xxxx rather than xxx-xxx-xxx) - which doesn't mean they can't overlap!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 944AAS8pZv

Overlap as in being identical? It's like winning the lottery

Feb 3rd, 2014 10:14 am

#1550

daverobev: Deal Addict; Dec 8, 2010; 2552 posts; 982 upvotes

Feb 3rd, 2014 10:14 am

andriykoua wrote: ↑Overlap as in being identical? It's like winning the lottery

Yeah I know.. except that, in theory, there are one billion numbers - but some aren't used, or are for special purposes; and SINs are based on where you were born or immigrated to.

There are 1/3 billion Americans, right? I know - only 3x million Canadians. But the Canadian side's chance of that SIN existing is a big fat ONE - YOU have that SIN!

So I reckon there is a slightly more than 1/3 chance your SIN overlaps with an SSN...

Feb 3rd, 2014 11:52 am

#1551

andriykoua: Banned; Jun 15, 2010; 7062 posts; 2436 upvotes; Niagara Falls

Feb 3rd, 2014 11:52 am

for those wondering, this is what CreditKarma looks like. I just took a screen shot of my profile

[IMG]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/109 ... tKarma.PNG[/IMG]

Feb 3rd, 2014 12:51 pm

#1552

daverobev: Deal Addict; Dec 8, 2010; 2552 posts; 982 upvotes

Feb 3rd, 2014 12:51 pm

ettebe wrote: ↑I just signed up with the RBC BANK and I a bit confused with the website:

http://www.rbcbank.com/products-and-ser ... 97479.html
This page says you can use: PNC ATMs, VISA/PLUS ATMs and NYCE ATMs.

http://www.rbcbank.com/products-and-ser ... 97035.html
This page says you can use: PNC ATMs. Plus you get reimbursed 2/month for ATM fees at other banks.

Seeing VISA/PLUS ATMs would give me access to TD Bank and other banks ATMs.

So what is it?

You can *use* and you can use *fee free* are not the same

RBC might not charge you.. but other ATM providers might! So you can get money out at any old ATM, but if its not a PNC one you'll get charges from the ATM provider, which RBC will give back up to twice a month.

+1

Feb 3rd, 2014 1:58 pm

#1553

radiko: Sr. Member; Nov 23, 2010; 687 posts; 116 upvotes; Montreal

Feb 3rd, 2014 1:58 pm

andriykoua wrote: ↑for those wondering, this is what CreditKarma looks like. I just took a screen shot of my profile

When did you get your first US CC or Chequing ? I'm trying to figure out how long it takes to get a file. My CC are less than 6 months I guess. Maybe that's why I have no FICO yet.

Feb 3rd, 2014 2:11 pm

#1554

andriykoua: Banned; Jun 15, 2010; 7062 posts; 2436 upvotes; Niagara Falls

Feb 3rd, 2014 2:11 pm

radiko wrote: ↑When did you get your first US CC or Chequing ? I'm trying to figure out how long it takes to get a file. My CC are less than 6 months I guess. Maybe that's why I have no FICO yet.

I got my first US CC in 2006. I use US address for all my CC.

Feb 3rd, 2014 2:38 pm

#1555

tabcola: Newbie; Jul 9, 2012; 79 posts; 11 upvotes; ACTON

Feb 3rd, 2014 2:38 pm

Credit Karma is pretty fickle. Sometimes all my accounts report, then 2 weeks later they drop off and then all return 2 weeks later. I guess you get what you pay for. I set it up using my US address in FL. However both Target USA and Nordstrom which I have billed to my Canadian address and were set up with my SIN report to both my Canadian Reports and show up on Credit Karma which was set up with my SSN and US Address only. Quite odd.

Feb 3rd, 2014 3:46 pm

#1556

radiko: Sr. Member; Nov 23, 2010; 687 posts; 116 upvotes; Montreal

Feb 3rd, 2014 3:46 pm

andriykoua wrote: ↑I got my first US CC in 2006. I use US address for all my CC.

So that's why Credit Karma could not find me. My accounts are barely 6 months old.

Feb 4th, 2014 1:18 am

#1557

ettebe: Newbie; Feb 1, 2014; 20 posts; 1 upvote

Feb 4th, 2014 1:18 am

daverobev wrote: ↑You can *use* and you can use *fee free* are not the same RBC might not charge you.. but other ATM providers might! So you can get money out at any old ATM, but if its not a PNC one you'll get charges from the ATM provider, which RBC will give back up to twice a month.

Thanks. All I can hope for that I get approved for the RBC Bank Visa, so I don't have to deal with none-PNC ATMs seeing they don't serve: Texas or Hawaii or Vermont or parts of New York state (at least I am covered for NYC).

Feb 4th, 2014 9:08 am

#1558

panda470: Sr. Member; Sep 24, 2010; 917 posts; 65 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 4th, 2014 9:08 am

daverobev wrote: ↑If you have credit, you'll have a file; if you have a file, they can generate a score off it!

I just got RBC (US) to report to my *ITIN* but as yet I have no US address (I want the statements to come here, there is apparently no secondary address on the RBC card...), I wonder how that'll work.

I have this question too.
Can a US credit report have a Canadian address, if that's the only one RBC has on file?

Feb 4th, 2014 11:06 am

#1559

tabcola: Newbie; Jul 9, 2012; 79 posts; 11 upvotes; ACTON

Feb 4th, 2014 11:06 am

Got my Discover Card today - what a presentation - box / packaging everything! Sweet looking card. The only store that I know that I have seen that takes it in Canada is Walmart - I don't think Sears accepts it anymore in Canada. Will have to give it a whirl to see what kind of a look I get when I use it there. Otherwise will be using it in the US!

Feb 4th, 2014 11:41 am

#1560

redboy69: Deal Addict; Sep 15, 2008; 1634 posts; 4230 upvotes; Pawtucket

Feb 4th, 2014 11:41 am

tabcola wrote: ↑Got my Discover Card today - what a presentation - box / packaging everything! Sweet looking card. The only store that I know that I have seen that takes it in Canada is Walmart - I don't think Sears accepts it anymore in Canada. Will have to give it a whirl to see what kind of a look I get when I use it there. Otherwise will be using it in the US!

Don't forget to sign up for the 5% quarterly bonus when you sign up your online account.

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