Dating app fraudster faked pregnancy to blackmail man out of £6,000
A woman blackmailed a man into paying her more than £6,000 in a fake pregnancy scam. Georgette Ravette, 28, spun a web of lies to the 25-year-old whom she met online.
Ravette claimed that she was later expecting his child and demanded cash to buy her silence or she would tell his mother. She also asked for £250 to cover her for items during an apparent week long hospital stay.
Ravette, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, threatened that her cousin would 'go mental' and inflict violence if he did not meet her requests. The man was eventually so frightened for his safety that he eventually called in the police.
Ravette has now pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to extorting a total of £6,350 from the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The pair met on social media app Kik in 2023 and entered into a relationship in April that year. Ravette and the man had unprotected sex in August 2023. She claimed days later that she felt "unwell."
Fiscal Amanda Gallagher said: "She told him that she did not have money for a pregnancy test and also asked for cash for new jeans."
The man blocked Ravette but he received a voicemail from her days later.
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She told him: "I think you are a coward for blocking me, I am a single mother and I am not going through this again.
"Give me money for a test or help get me a termination."
The man received another voicemail stating: "You better send me money for a termination or a test or I will tell your mum everything."
He then got a message from an unknown number warning him that Ravette was going to visit his mother. It was also chillingly stated that Ravette knew where he lived as she followed him home one day.
Miss Gallagher said: "After this, the man sent £1,000 to Ravette's bank account.
"He asked her to let him know if she needed more and she said that she did want more money.
"Ravette demanded £1,000 to buy her silence and he sent it.
"She then messaged him to say she was going to hospital for a week and needed money to purchase items so he sent her £250."
Ravette went on to demand even more cash and claimed her 'cousin' was near the man's home. He took this as a "threat that someone would come to his door and threaten his family." Further payments were then stumped up.
Ravette requested another £1,000 as her cousin was "about to go mental" but this time the money did not go through. He got a sinister text from who he reckoned was Ravette's relative which stated: "I know who you are and your family."
The victim was so worried he was willing to hand over more cash, but the transactions were blocked by his bank. Ravette told him: "I will try and hold my cousin off but if he wanted to do something I won't be able to stop him."
The man contacted the police as he feared for him and his family. Ravette refused to open the door to officers and was not arrested until a later date.
Brian McGuire, defending, told the court there was an 'unusual background' to the crime which he would go into more at the next calling of the case.
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Sheriff Louise Arrol KC who granted Ravette bail meantime. The sheriff told her: "You can take it from me that I find this extremely disturbing, concerning and a very serious matter."
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