Woman jailed for scamming friends out of £151,000

A woman who scammed a group of friends out of more than £151,000 has been jailed for four years.

Jemma Davidson, 42, of Morpeth Crescent, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, claimed she was due a large insurance payout and promised to repay the money, but it never materialised.

Hertfordshire Police said Davidson produced fake emails and letters to spin "an elaborate web of lies".

She was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on 25 September after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation and forgery at an earlier hearing.

Davidson initially began borrowing money from a friend in December 2023 and claimed she would repay her if she continued to lend her money.

As the debt grew, the victim took out loans and turned to two of her own friends to help Davidson.

The three, from Hemel Hempstead, Harpenden and Houghton Regis, continued giving Davidson money, suffering significant financial hardship in the process, until they finally reported the matter to police in July 2025.

Det Con Laura Varney, from Hertfordshire Constabulary's Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit, said: "Davidson lied and took advantage of her friend's compassion, sending her into debt to fund a lifestyle she could not sustain.

"The sentence reflects the serious and lasting impact her actions had on the lives of those she lied to."

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