I am very scared to investigate my credit score

Quoting Real Person
Hi-
Thanks for your great website. Like many people, I am very scared to investigate my credit score. I have no idea what it is. I did have a few unpaid credit card bills that went into chargeoff in the mid 90s, and I have one collection agency snail-mailing me still but I am too scared to open the letter. I recently accepted a job at a major company and was surprised I passed a background check, which included a credit report. This makes me think it might not be too bad. I have convinced myself I am in the toilet credit wise, but lately I have received a flood of offers recently that
reference my great credit. I have had an American Express card since 1990 and I was just solicited to upgrade to a platinum membership with them, so I am not sure what to think. Any advice as to how I can conquer my fear and take the big leap and face my fear of the scary world of credit? Thank you.

PS I stumbled on your website while searching this topic on Yahoo.
Thanks for a great public service.
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This "scary" issue faces almost everyone I know who has intelligence. I am afraid to look at my bank account most days because my wife and I are such disasters. We cannot manage money worth a dern and overdraft almost monthly although our overdraft protection bails us out most times. But the same issue you are talking about kept me from trying to buy a house in 1994 and you can read my story about what I found out. The truth is your credit is real and you should know what it says. You should know facts about credit. Late payments are not reported as such unless they are 30 days old. Many people think paying 15 days late messes up your credit. NOPE. You mention 1990. Heck that is 15 years old it should be gone by now. Little things like that scare people.
The one true credit god is your friend not your enemy unless you never feed it and talk to it. Check your credit NOW. Get a score. there are 3 bureaus check all 3 right now. No one is going to hurt you. The only problemm you may face is seeing damage you already dread, or finding something incorrect which you CAN FIX. Oh my gosh. Check your credit every year and make it a habit like brushing your teeth. Credit is your friend.
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Quoting REAL PERSON
Bo-
With your kind words, I just mustered up the courage to check my credit score. I haven't finished going through your website, but I checked through Transunion and I scored a 685.
In your estimate, is this a good score?
You have done me-and others-such a service. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also-in your opinion-I have a school loan of about 8K that I could pay outright. Would you suggest that to increase my score? And if I did that, what kind of points would I gain?
Thank you again!
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685 is SWEEEET brother
and the loan could help you 10-20 points if your balance is 8 and your total high credit is less than 10 meaning any account you drop to less than 80% against high credit will help your score.
685.....whew that's high cotton. It is very hard to get higher than 740 which is super premium gold
Don't you feel good now that credit is your friend
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