Those Idiots at Scotiabank !!!

[raphael7546 0]

I have been sending payments for my Credit card & Line of credit from here in the US since I got here. Before I left, I told them I was moving but would continue to make payments from the US. I asked them what would be the best way to make these payments and they said to just send a payment in International Money Order in one lump sum for both accounts. They said to send it to Ottawa instead of my usual bank in BC.

So thats what I've been doing, and for the most part its been ok. When I get my statements for each account I take both statement portions fill in how much I want to pay and then enclose one money order for both combined payments. But for the last payment, they just put the whole payment amount on my Credit card bill and nothing on my line of credit so now I'm in arrears ! ARGH !!!!!!!

And yes, I know alot of ppl. say not to bother paying back money you've borrowed becuz they can't come back after ya in the states , but I just can't do that.

Is there a way to track money orders. I am wondering if one of the payments never made it there?

[cmartyn 0]

Why not pay the credit card with the line of credit and then pay the line of credit off with a money order.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Is there a way to track money orders. I am wondering if one of the payments never made it there?

There's usually a carbon for a MO, but I'm not sure why you'd want to track. If they credited the whole amount to your credit card, then you know it got there.

cmartyn's strategy is a good one, as long as there's enough lead time to pay your card with the LOC and then send a MO for the LOC. It may be easier to send a separate MO for each account. Pay them down regularly. You may want to use your good credit history in Canada to help you get a credit card in the U.S. MBNA is one of the few cards that will check this for you.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Set up an account with Custom House, free nd give better rates of exchange than the banks!! Whenb I was getting EI, I transferred money from my Cdn Bank acct to my USA acct with ease. I'm pretty sure you can do it the opposite as well. http://www.customhouse.com/

[raphael7546 0]

I know that my last payment arrived no problem via money order as it was credited to my credit card ( it was supposed to be split in half to go to credit card & line of credit. But... the previous money order payment isn't showing on the statement. Thats why I asked if you can track/trace a moneyorder. I pay by money order every month regularly and have excellent credit in Canada. ( not that it does anything for credit here.)

I called the bank before about asking if I could just transfer money from my line of credit to my credit card and they said my account wasn't set up for that but if I came to the bank in person they could do that! Ummm I live kinda far from the bank to just pop in to change my account.

I'm hoping to do this when we drive up to canada in july to pick up my daughter. Also need to have them change my lastname on my account as well.

As far as using my credit to build credit here in the states, I'll have to look into that. I can use my credit card here no problem and I get a US credit card thru my work ( required for my job), so thats not a problem.

[Jersey Girl 2]

the previous money order payment isn't showing on the statement.

Not good. Make some calls. There's probably some confusion on their end because the bank drones don't know what to do. Where did you buy the MO? Check your receipt. Call them, too. There may be some sort of insurance if it never arrived.

[raphael7546 0]

the previous money order payment isn't showing on the statement.

Not good. Make some calls. There's probably some confusion on their end because the bank drones don't know what to do. Where did you buy the MO? Check your receipt. Call them, too. There may be some sort of insurance if it never arrived.

Well , we ALWAYS bought the money order at our BX ( Military store) but that one payment we didn't have time to drive to the BX and just bought one at the local post office. Thats the only one thats ever missed.

[cmartyn 0]

Correction, You HAD good credit in Canada.

Now with the late payment, through no fault of your own its probably sewered. You'll have to do some work to get the bank to change the data they sent to the credit bureaus about these payments.

Edited May 23, 2006 by cmartyn

[jen&darcy 0]

Set up an account with Custom House, free nd give better rates of exchange than the banks!! Whenb I was getting EI, I transferred money from my Cdn Bank acct to my USA acct with ease. I'm pretty sure you can do it the opposite as well. http://www.customhouse.com/

Thanks for posting. Darcy and I might need this.

[SENKA 0]

Set up an account with Custom House, free nd give better rates of exchange than the banks!! Whenb I was getting EI, I transferred money from my Cdn Bank acct to my USA acct with ease. I'm pretty sure you can do it the opposite as well. http://www.customhouse.com/

Thanks Scott, you've been so helpful to me on several different questions, and this is something I will definitely need in the near futures as well . I really appreciate it!

Senka

[zyggy 9]

Set up an account with Custom House, free nd give better rates of exchange than the banks!! Whenb I was getting EI, I transferred money from my Cdn Bank acct to my USA acct with ease. I'm pretty sure you can do it the opposite as well. http://www.customhouse.com/

Thanks Scott, you've been so helpful to me on several different questions, and this is something I will definitely need in the near futures as well . I really appreciate it!

Senka

Forget trying to keep thing straiught by sending paymets to some faceless P.O. Box...

Use Customhouse to wire yourself money from your US Bank Account to your Canadian Bank Account and then use your electronic banking to make payments to each of your accounts. That way, you are in complete control over what money goes where and when it is paid..

[ceriserose 1]

Set up an account with Custom House, free nd give better rates of exchange than the banks!! Whenb I was getting EI, I transferred money from my Cdn Bank acct to my USA acct with ease. I'm pretty sure you can do it the opposite as well. http://www.customhouse.com/

It works both ways. And electronic funds transfers are free! I've been managing my credit card payments as described...send the $$ through via EFT from one bank to the other, and then making electronic payments via my bank in Canada.

The hardest part is setting up the account (they have to do phone checks and in my case the login got messed up at the beginning), but once it's working, it's pretty spiffy.

[Flames9_RN 358]

yes setting up the account takes a bit. One has to fax or mail or if u have a scanner, scan the documents then email it (they have a secure email) Takes a few days, but its not that much of a hassle. Once you complete a trade, it takes 3-4 BUSINESS days to complete. Works excellent and a better rate than what Wachovia was giving me and no fees!! Sit with my cold beer and make the transaction!!

[wally 0]

do you have the option of getting a line of credit in US to pay off the Canadian debts?

I have stuff still active in Canada in my previous surname and I find all this cross-border not hard to manage but I'm always worried that something will fall through such as your issue. I keep a Canadian credit card and my bank account (Bank of Montreal) as a back-up until my credit history here is established.

[Jersey Girl 2]

I keep a Canadian credit card and my bank account (Bank of Montreal) as a back-up until my credit history here is established.

I was under the impression that one must cut all financial ties with Canada or Canada Revenue Agency can consider you taxable on your worldwide income even though you're no longer a resident there. So it's best to close down everything as soon as possible.

If you're trying to build a credit history in the U.S., look at the MNBA credit cards. After beating my head against a brick wall, they turned out to be the only ones who would check my history in Canada so I could have a card in the States. It's instant credit and a new history is started.