Dementia Q&A Spring 2025 - Scams, Fraud, and Dementia Part 2

David Neil Kirkman

David Kirkman is a Fraud Watch Volunteer for AARP of North Carolina.
Previously, he was a Special Deputy Attorney General with the North Carolina
Department of Justice. He served as an enforcement attorney in the Department’s Consumer Protection Division from 1987 until 2017, and he created and managed its Elder Fraud Unit. In 1998, he was named co-chair of the newly formed NC Senior Consumer Fraud Task Force, and he remains a member 26 years later. During his years in the attorney General’s Office, David obtained hundreds of court orders and settlement agreements against telemarketers and others who
abused or defrauded older consumers. Against one elder fraud group alone, he led an initiative that secured over 400 felony convictions.

During those years, he also secured eleven federally funded grants to develop better ways to fight illegal telemarketing and elder fraud practices.
Since his retirement from government service, David has remained active in the fight against senior fraud. Four years ago, his book Elder Fraud Wars was
released by McFarland Publishers. On behalf of AARP and the North Carolina Senior Consumer Fraud Task Force, he continues to write and speak about the elder fraud industry and its newest tactics.
David resides in Chatham County. He received his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Davidson College and his law degree from the University of North Carolina.

Suzanne LaFollette-Black, MASA, CFC, CAP

Suzanne has been a gerontologist for the past 40+ years. Suzanne’s career has been in the aging network as a non-profit nursing home administrator, Area Agency on Aging Director, Executive Director of Moore County Department of Aging, AARP Georgia State Director, AARP NC Associate State Director of Advocacy and Community Outreach and aging network volunteer. 

She recently retired and serves as a lead AARP volunteer with the national DIY/DWG, Driver Safety, AARP Coastal region, disaster preparedness for older adult’s task force, Memory Partners, Powerful Tools for Caregivers class leader, New Hanover County Master Aging Plan committee, Food Bank, Grandparent Support Network, and other various organizations.Co-founded ENCORE Sentimental Journey Singers of the Cape Fear for caregivers and their loved ones with dementia.

Helen Savage

Helen currently serves as AARP NC's lead volunteer on consumer fraud protection.  In this capacity, she works with AARP staff and volunteers on consumer protection advocacy and education.  Prior to this position, Helen was an AARP staff member in the AARP Public Policy Institute, and also worked on state and federal legislation in California and several southern states.  She lives in Cary, NC.