It's a rising problem and seniors are a major target. Seniors in Waynesboro are getting insight on a growing problem: identity theft.

Culpeper resident, Tom Calhoun, says, "You used to worry about someone swiping your pocketbook or something. You're going to have to worry about someone stealing your identity."

Experts say identity theft has been a primary problem for seniors because they typically have more cash reserves and a higher disposable income. However it's not just financial theft.

Risk management specialist Tara Welch says medical identity theft is extremely dangerous. In fact, it could be fatal for seniors.

She says, "They can go in and get treated as a diabetic when they are not. It's actually information security that can kill them."

There is also criminal identity theft.

Welch says, "We actually had an 80-year-old grandmother that was arrested for a driving under the influence charge, and she hadn't driven since the Truman administration."

Calhoun says he used to give out his social security number without hesitation. Now that he knows he's vulnerable, he and his wife have made some changes.

He says, "We double check our credit cards real close. We do a lot of traveling so not only financially do we have to check them but we check them to see that nothing extra has been added to them."