Woman arrested for scamming donations by posing as relative of Newtown victim

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A woman in the Bronx was arrested Thursday and accused of scamming unsuspecting Facebook users out of donations by pretending to be the aunt of a 6-year-old who was killed in the Sandy Hook elementary massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Nouel Alba, 37, told a reporter for NBC’s “Today” that she did no such thing and that someone else must have posted it using her account. However, her personal account numbers were reportedly attached to the scam, which asked Facebook users to contribute to the boy’s “funeral fund.”

Alba allegedly posted on Facebook claiming to be the aunt of Noah Pozner, whose parents have memorialized by setting up a website in his name. She allegedly told federal investigators that the money had been refunded, but a criminal complaint against her says that’s not the case.

After being featured on the “Today” segment aired last week, investigators interviewed Alba and determined that she also lied to them. A complaint filed Thursday reportedly says she also used her phone and text messages to pose as the boy’s aunt. Alba could be jailed up to five years for making false statements investigators.

Unfortunately, Alba’s alleged reaction is not unique: a man purchased NoahPozner.com shortly after the massacre in an attempt to profit off its sale, but the family has since wrested it back into their control. Thankfully, most other responses to the tragedy seem to be overwhelmingly generous. Americans have been so generous, in fact, that residents of Newtown are asking that no more gifts be sent, as they’ve been overwhelmed by deliveries.

This video is from NBC’s “Today,” aired Thursday, December 27, 2012.

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