Christian Influencer Dana Chanel, known for her popular social media presence, has been found guilty of scamming numerous clients through her businesses, Credit Exterminators and Alakazam Apps, and has been ordered to pay restitution totaling almost $90,000.
In a recent court ruling, Casey Olivera, popularly known as Dana Chanel, a prominent Christian influencer with over 1.1 million followers on Instagram, has faced significant backlash for her alleged fraudulent activities. The accusations primarily stem from her involvement in two businesses, Credit Exterminators, a credit repair company, and Alakazam Apps, an app developer.
Customers of both companies have come forward, claiming that they paid substantial amounts, often exceeding $2,000, for services that were never provided. Despite requesting refunds, these clients reported never receiving their money back.
One plaintiff, who had enrolled in Credit Exterminators, stated that she was promised assistance in removing delinquent credit accounts, but the service failed to deliver on this promise. Despite paying the company over $2,000, she received no refund. Another complaint was filed by a nonprofit owner who alleged paying Chanel and Alakazam Apps for the development of a custom app that was never delivered, despite her efforts to follow up multiple times. She, too, did not receive a refund.
Following the court’s ruling, it was determined that Chanel had violated state consumer protection laws by misleading customers and failing to deliver the purchased goods and services. Consequently, she is now prohibited from promoting or selling any credit repair or mobile app services in the future.
Commenting on the case, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry highlighted the changing landscape of advertising in the digital age, where people trust the influencers they follow online to endorse products and services. She emphasized that in these instances, consumers were misled by both the influencer and the businesses involved, which failed to deliver on their promises. Henry’s office has taken a strong stance against potential harm inflicted on Pennsylvanians through online platforms.
Apart from her involvement in Credit Exterminators and Alakazam Apps, Chanel is also recognized as the founder of Sprinkle of Jesus, a Christian mobile app, and Curl Bible, a hair and skincare brand.
As defendants in the lawsuit, both Credit Exterminators and Alakazam Apps are now required to pay restitution amounting to $87,269.91 to the affected consumers, along with $31,000 in legal costs and $6,000 in civil penalties.
