Philly Instagram Influencer Misled Consumers: PA Attorney General

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia-based Instagram influencer and others have been accused of misleading consumers and failed to deliver goods and services as promised.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro today announced he has filed suit against the Philadelphia-based companies owned and operated by social media personality Dana Chanel, whose real name is Casey Olivera.

Chanel uses her sizable platform on social media to promote many products, including credit repair services offered by Credit Exterminators Inc., later rebranded as Earn Company, LLC, and mobile app development services through Alakazam Apps, LLC.

Chanel co-owns and operates Credit Exterminators/Earn Company with her sister, Cassandra April Olivera. She runs Alakazam Apps with her father, Nakia Rattray.

"Dana Chanel built a following online by presenting herself as a black woman-owned small business success story," Shapiro said. "She advertised the products of her companies as a way for other black small business owners to achieve what she did. Then, she ripped off the same community she claimed to care about."

The suit alleges how one consumer, who runs a non-profit, paid Alakazam Apps $2,000 believing she would work directly with them to bring a custom app to life.

She never received an app from Alakazam and contacted the company more than 10 times via phone, but never received a response or a refund, according to the AG's office.

The suit also alleges how one consumer signed up with Credit Exterminators with the understanding that, as part of the services she paid for, Credit Exterminators would resolve delinquent credit accounts on her behalf.

Months after retaining Credit Exterminators, the consumer received a garnishment of wages letter from a creditor she believed Credit Exterminators had resolved, authorities said. She received no refund or other relief and in total paid the company more than $2,000, according to the AG's office.

"It’s hard enough these days for workers in Philadelphia," Shapiro said. "We can’t have bad actors breaking the law and making it even harder for folks to resolve their bad credit or keep their small businesses afloat."

Consumers who feel they were victimized by Alakazam Apps, Credit Exterminators, and/or Earn Company are encouraged to file a complaint at online here or contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555 or scams@attorneygeneral.gov.