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.

Identity theft means someone has actually misused your information.

And if that happens, getting your identity back in order can turn into a lot of work.

Here's how identity restoration actually works and what I recommend doing if you suspect someone has misused your information.

New! Free live CyberGuy class: Protect Your Money From Today’s Biggest Threats Join us on Saturday, Aug.

29, at 10 a.m.

ET for a free CyberGuy LIVE class covering five simple steps to help defend yourself against AI scams, fraud, identity theft and financial hacks.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will explain how to set up bank alerts, strengthen your account logins, protect your phone number, freeze your credit and help secure your retirement savings against unauthorized transfers.

No technical experience is needed.

You’ll also receive our financial protection checklist, and every registrant will get a link to the class recording afterward.