hey
i went to get a cell phone today, but they told me that my SIN is too new and therefore i couldnt have a credit report on it?
i got my SIN on October 5th, and have bank account and health card!
has this happened to anyone else?
the kind bloke in the shop suggested i go home and ring Canada Services. i asked them if they had a cup and some string as i had no phone, hence the reason i was there is the first place!

Hi

Try another provider or go for pay as you go.

Its not the SIN thats too new, its just that there is no credit history one way of the other associated with it yet. Credit is (nearly) always a hassle for newcommers.

PAYGO will get you a phone.

www.virginmobile.ca works well for me.

Apart from this Paul, how are things going for you ? I read your getting to the airport thread and thought how brave you were in the end, hope its been worth it so far
Jo

yeah so far so good!
i have a credit card coming, and i have to try back when i get this!
just seems weird. i could have paid the monthly contract up front for 12 months if it suited them!

Your SIN is not supposed to be used for this kind of activity.

Perhaps you should have a look at the web page in the provided link as to who you should and should not be giving your SIN too.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/s.../provide.shtml

It IS weird. I remember Hubby got his phone from Rogers on the day of his job interview, so that was within a few days of arriving. We did already have a credit card (pre-paid with $5000 security though), if that makes the difference.

If you decide to get a pay as you go phone, think about getting a 7/11 phone (Speakout). There is no contract of course, and your minutes go on for 365 days from your last top-up, ie effectively never expire. I have one for emergency/contact only and use it infrequently, so it's by far the best deal for me, even though call charges may be more expensive than other schemes. http://www.speakoutwireless.ca/
The phone cost I think $59 (?) and included some call-time.

Agreed. People will ask for it when they want to run a credit check on you - you should refuse to give it when they do.

Your SIN is only needed by govt or organizations that report to govt., such as banks to CRA. Other than that I would never give my SIN to anyone. I don't carry my SIN card around either. Lose that in your wallet and there could well be another 'you' around pretty quick.

Maybe paranoia, but we also carry identity theft insurance now.

No-one should be allowed to run a credit check unless it's authorized by the prospective client's signature. I believe it's a legal requirement.

I got a contract with Fido fresh off the plane - they didn't seem to want much info from me and I walked out with the phone there and then no problems.

Hi Paul - we got phones just after arriving with no problems (and no mention of SIN number?!). We used Wireless Wave in the Chinook (although they are in most malls I think). It's worth checking out their website as they have some good comparison charts on there.

Best of luck! J

I didn't have any trouble, but did already have a credit card from HSBC. I was able to use that as basis for getting credit on a Rogers phone at The Source in Calgary Westhills

You just have no credit history so nothing will come up for you until you have some sort of credit to create a report.

Your not required to give SIN for credit, now they prefer it as it easier to identify you that way then by name and DOB and if your name is really common, sometimes the SIN is the easiest.

My first and last name is too common banks get confused, so I provide the SIN when I apply for a loan from a bank but never to a cell phone company or anything.

We got our phones, we had no credit history. We just paid an extra $100 deposit per phone for a year to cover a bill, and had a cap on our bill amounts. No biggie really. This was with Rogers.