PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office is suing a Philadelphia-based Instagram influencer who allegedly scammed Black business owners and entrepreneurs out of thousands of dollars.
Dana Chanel, whose real name is Casey Olivera, has been accused of misleading consumers and failing to deliver goods and services as promised.
The influencer has amassed nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts family content and promotes products and other businesses including beauty brand Curlbible and Christian app Sprinkle of Jesus.
“Dana Chanel built a following online by presenting herself as a black woman-owned small business success story,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh 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 lawsuit includes Credit Exterminators, a credit repair company that has since been rebranded as Earn Company, and Alakazam Apps.
The suit alleges that a person paid Alakazam Apps $2,000, believing they would work with Chanel to build a custom app. They never received said services, nor a response or refund despite reaching out multiple times.
Chanel’s sister Cassandra April Olivera and father Nakia Rattray, co-owners of the businesses, are also listed in the suit.
KYW Newsradio reached out to Chanel for comment, but had not heard back as of late Thursday afternoon.
Consumers who feel they may have been victims of the alleged scams can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office. Click here for more information or call 800-441-2555.
Thousands signed a change.org petition started in 2020 to bring attention to the alleged scams and victims.
