State Director for AARP Washington
Doug Shadel is the Senior State Director of Washington’s AARP, and a leading expert on fraud schemes and the elderly. Along with his other duties he actively pursues the latest research, including having recently co-led a three-year U.S. Department of Justice/AARP Foundation study. This effort was the first to document prevention strategies that dramaticaly reduce victimization.
Before assuming his current duties, Dr. Shadel was the Consumer Affairs Director and later the Associate Regional Director of AARP’s West Region. Prior positions include Special Assistant Attorney General and fraud investigator.
Dr. Shadel is dedicated to furthering our understanding and prevention of financial fraud. His PhD in the Social Science culminated in a dissertation on “The Psychology of Consumer Fraud,” and he contributes extensively to the field’s body of knowledge. His publications include Inside the Con Man Mind: Advanced Training for Fraud Fighters (co-authored with Karla Park, Jean Mathisen, Bruce Carlson, and Jimmy Edwards), Weapons of Fraud: A Source Book for Fraud Fighters (co-authored with Anthony Pratkanis, University of California Santa Cruz), and Outsmart Crime: Creative Strategies for Outsmarting Today’s Criminal Mind (co-authored with Al Ward), among other consumer- and fraud-related research, presentations, television appearances, and documentaries.
For his dedication, Dr. Shadel has been honored with a number of awards for distinction and service, including AARP’s Agent for Social Change Award (2007), the Federal Law Enforcement Officer’s Association Citizen’s Award (2002), the FBI Director’s Award for Exceptional Public Service (2000), and the California Department of Justice Citizen Award (2000).
