I just went to open a credit card at Scotiabank. I was really against credit for a while but need to get one now because I'm finding more and more hotels or vacation destinations are requiring me to have one. When my file came up it said that my current credit history made me an unfit candidate for a credit card at this time... so i took the paperwork that was on the desk (printed from the credit bureau) even though the bank representative said i wasn't allowed to see it and I found something from OSAP that listed my current loan, what I owe, and then it also said I had a monthly fee of just over $200 for OSAP repayments.

My issue is that I'm not done University yet (have another year) and was never notified about this and basically it just shouldn't even be on my SIN. I went to open a new cellphone today and Rogers was like "yeah your backround information won't let me" which doesn't make sense!! I've had an income before, I've never had a credit card, and I don't owe anything to OSAP for AT LEAST another year!

What I think might have happened is my older sister just finished her last year of Engineering @ Guelph and is going to Med school... she has the same first initial as me and same last name and same bank. Is it possible OSAP messed up and said it was me that needed to start repaying my loan? It sounds unbelievable for some people when I say that because they don't understand how that's possible but similar things like that have happened before. (My bank even gave me a debit card in her name when i lost my old one.... complete idiotssss!)

Anyyyy advice would be much appreciated

P.S. I already spoke with Scotia and they said they're "looking into it" but i know they're not because they keep telling me they'll get to it "next week" (it's been 3 weeks)

Originally Posted by Bree_21

I just went to open a credit card at Scotiabank. I was really against credit for a while but need to get one now because I'm finding more and more hotels or vacation destinations are requiring me to have one. When my file came up it said that my current credit history made me an unfit candidate for a credit card at this time... so i took the paperwork that was on the desk (printed from the credit bureau) even though the bank representative said i wasn't allowed to see it and I found something from OSAP that listed my current loan, what I owe, and then it also said I had a monthly fee of just over $200 for OSAP repayments.

My issue is that I'm not done University yet (have another year) and was never notified about this and basically it just shouldn't even be on my SIN. I went to open a new cellphone today and Rogers was like "yeah your backround information won't let me" which doesn't make sense!! I've had an income before, I've never had a credit card, and I don't owe anything to OSAP for AT LEAST another year!

What I think might have happened is my older sister just finished her last year of Engineering @ Guelph and is going to Med school... she has the same first initial as me and same last name and same bank. Is it possible OSAP messed up and said it was me that needed to start repaying my loan? It sounds unbelievable for some people when I say that because they don't understand how that's possible but similar things like that have happened before. (My bank even gave me a debit card in her name when i lost my old one.... complete idiotssss!)

Anyyyy advice would be much appreciated

P.S. I already spoke with Scotia and they said they're "looking into it" but i know they're not because they keep telling me they'll get to it "next week" (it's been 3 weeks)

I don't think OSAP would make that mistake. They don't rely on names, but on your SIN...

When did the payments begin? Did you apply for OSAP last year?

Yes I have never been off OSAP. I realize it relies on a SIN but a lot of paper work is adressed B . *last name* rather than a full first name.

The reason I mention my sister is because she JUST got a notification from OSAP saying she'd have to start payments... the exact same time this showed up on my credit history/SIN


Has anyone else out there been charged OSAP to their acccount too earl?!

:(

Originally Posted by Bree_21

Yes I have never been off OSAP. I realize it relies on a SIN but a lot of paper work is adressed B . *last name* rather than a full first name.

The reason I mention my sister is because she JUST got a notification from OSAP saying she'd have to start payments... the exact same time this showed up on my credit history/SIN


Has anyone else out there been charged OSAP to their acccount too earl?!

:(

You should go talk to SFAS, they will know what to do.

you need to submit "continuation of education" forms every year, of ur payments become due 6 months after ur study period, and interest begins the day after u end :/

Its much more likely to be a problem with the records at the credit rating agencies. They're notorious for getting files mixed up and they try to keep you from the data making it as difficult as possible to correct problems. In short, they suck, but here's the process to get it fixed:

1) Request your credit report from each of the three agencies (Equifax, TransUnion and Northern Credit Bureaus/ Experian) They'll charge you to see it online, but are required by law to provide it for free with a mailed request e.g.:
http://www.equifax.com/ecm/canada/EF...ues tForm.pdf
(expect to wait a couple of weeks for the report)

2) Request your credit file be fixed at the agencies which have it wrong, the process for equifax is here:
https://www.econsumer.equifax .ca/c...te_process.jsp

3) The agencies will put you into a dispute resolution process, it could be quick if its a "simple" thing or it could take months of phoning / mailing / being persistent.

Its very important to keep your credit file correct, things such as a student loan will count significantly against you in applying for credit cards, utilities accounts, etc etc etc (as you've found out). Expect it to take a while to get it fixed, but its something that you absolutely need to do and the summer is a good time to deal with it.

P.S. I've seen cases where just living in the same city as someone with the same initials will result in credit files being mixed. Since Sahota is extraordinarily common, I've had this happen more than a few times :|. So your case where the initials and address are the same is totally understandable and not surprising.

Originally Posted by piratemetal

you need to submit "continuation of education" forms every year, of ur payments become due 6 months after ur study period, and interest begins the day after u end :/

If you apply to OSAP you sign it when you pick up your first instalment. The OP has applied to OSAP every year.