With more information coming out about the Equifax data breach, consumers are increasingly looking for answers on whether their information is protected.

Atlanta-based Equifax recently announced that as many as 143 million people were exposed when hackers exploited a website application to access files earlier this year. Equifax, one of the three main credit-reporting agencies in the U.S. lending industry, waited six weeks to tell the public, leading to outrage and calls for class-action lawsuits.

Can I count on LifeLock to protect me after the Equifax breach?

Money expert Clark Howard says freezing your credit is the No. 1 way to protect yourself from identity fraud. One question people are asking is if LifeLock is just as good as a credit freeze.

The short answer is no, because you can get free credit monitoring by setting up an account at CreditKarma.com. Life Lock advertises that it can help secure your information to guard against identity theft, but it charges you monthly services that start at $10 a month. Why pay for credit monitoring when you can get it for free? And monitoring is not the same as a credit freeze.

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If you have specific questions about the Equifax breach and how it may impact you, contact Clark’s Consumer Action Center — a FREE help line open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. EST with volunteers available to answer YOUR concerns! Call Team Clark @ 404-892-8227.