Identity restoration: What to do after identity theft

You get an alert saying your Social Security number, email address or other personal information showed up in a breach. Your first thought may be, What did someone do with it? I get why that can be unnerving. An alert can sound serious without telling you whether a criminal actually opened an account, took over something you already use or did nothing at all.

The first thing I want you to know is that exposure and identity theft are not the same thing. Exposure gives you a reason to pay attention.