Identity restoration: What to do after identity theft

A Social Security number breach exposes personal information but does not automatically result in identity theft or fraud. Identity restoration involves steps such as placing fraud alerts with credit bureaus, reviewing credit reports for unauthorized activity, freezing credit files, and filing reports with the Federal Trade Commission if fraudulent accounts have been opened in a person's name. The specific actions depend on what type of information was exposed and whether actual fraudulent transactions or accounts have occurred.

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