Woman admits Ayton cheque fraud charge
A Nigerian fraudster was caught trying to con £14,100 from bank staff, a court has heard.
Abiodun Agbaje, 25, was held after presenting a number of fraudulent financial certificates at Royal Bank of Scotland branches in the Borders.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how Agbaje, of Grays, Essex, was snared after workers grew suspicious about what she was doing.
She admitted one charge of fraud and sentence was deferred.
The court heard how staff called police after she visited Ayton in Berwickshire on 25 August last year.
Depute procurator fiscal John Kirk told the court that Agbaje, a first offender, had taken part in a "common" financial scam.
The court heard how crooks have set up fictitious companies in recent years in a bid to obtain business accounts and cheque books from unsuspecting financial institutions.
Mr Kirk explained how after reaching Berwick Upon Tweed from London by train, Agbaje visited the RBS and deposited a cheque there before taking a taxi to do the same at the RBS branch in nearby Eyemouth.
However, staff at the first branch realised what she was doing and then notified colleagues in surrounding towns and contacted the police.
Officers then arrested her in Ayton and discovered that she was trying to con the financial institution out of £14,100.
Agbaje pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud before Sheriff Derrick McIntyre.
She originally faced allegations that she also visited RBS branches in Duns and Melrose in a bid to fraudulently obtain £28,200.
However, the prosecution agreed to drop those allegations in return for a guilty plea.