The grieving widow of former Arsenal star Jose Antonio Reyes, who died in a car crash on June 1, has voiced her devastation after an identity thief took to the internet and pretended she was begging for money.
Model Noelia Lopez says she was horrified to learn of the “phishing” scam on a fake Instagram profile, just two months after the death of her husband at the age of 35 in a high-speed accident in Seville.
Police are understood to be investigating after messages appeared on the social network, falsely claiming to have been posted by Noelia, who has two young daughters.
In it, the writer claimed to be the footballer’s wife and said she was facing “a difficult time bringing up the children alone”.
Still posing as Noelia, the unknown person then went on to appeal to all those who knew Reyes to contribute money to a special fund, saying they were sure they would help because the footballer had been such a good man and loved by all.
(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
Noelia has taken to Instagram to rubbish any suggestion of fundraising and to make it clear that the person who posted the message in her name is bogus. It had been ‘liked’ over 7,000 times.
The fake Instagram account used a different address to Noelia’s real one but combined her names in a bid to make it look authentic.
“I don’t know who can be behind this account, posing as me,” she wrote. “No one knows the reality of the situation we are living.
“To the immense pain of the loss of such an important figure in a family, more circumstances can be added. But never, whatever the economic situation in my home, would I have asked for help, much less in this way.
(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
“Thanks to God and my parents, we eat every day. I thank those who appreciate us for letting me know the existence of these messages. I ask for maximum diffusion to stop this. Thank you.”
Sevilla FC and Extremadura UD are arranging a testimonial on August 10 at the Francisco de la Hera Stadium in Almendralejo (Badajoz) as a tribute to Reyes, former player of both teams, the proceeds of which will go to his family.
The former Spain midfielder, who also played for Arsenal , Sevilla and Real Madrid , died when the vehicle he was travelling in crashed on a road between his home city of Utrera and Seville. His cousin also died.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
