More than 20 criminal counts related to credit card fraud have been filled against four former cashiers at the University Bookstore.

April Tyisha Mays, Haydee Eva Camarillo, Veronica Sahagun, and Qiana Aisha Jones are scheduled to appear in Long Beach Municipal Court next week.

Investigator John Bellah of the University Police hypothesized that the cashiers began collecting credit card numbers and duplicate sales slips at the start of the semester, then used them to ring up nearly $3,000 in unauthorized purchases.

Bellah said the amount did not get higher because of diligent work by bookstore employees.

"They got on top of it," Bellah said. "And were able to nip it in the bud before it got crazy."

Mays, 19, is charged with six counts of acquiring credit card information.

Camarillo, 20, is charged with one count of acquiring credit card information, and one count of theft by credit card. Jones, 19, is charged with four counts of acquiring credit card information, three counts of signing a fictitious name on a credit card draft, and three counts of theft by credit card.

Sahagun, 20, is charged with two counts of acquiring credit card information, three counts of signing a fictitious name on a credit card draft, and three counts of theft by credit card.

The relatively low amount of the loss means that the defendants only face misdemeanor charges, each of which carries a sentence of up to a year in the county jail.

The four defendants are set to be arraigned Nov. 10 and 11.

They were among seven cashiers arrested Oct. 8 and 9.

Bellah said the case came to the attention of the bookstore via a tip from a vendor that unusual purchases were being made.

The bookstore then began an audit, and the seven were called into the bookstore manager's office one at a time for interviews, and arrested, Bellah said.

All were booked at the University Police station and released on promises to appear.

Bellah said other bookstore employees "abruptly gave their resignations," while the interviews were taking place.

Bellah said that at least two credit cards were being used by the group.

Some of the defendants had been recently promoted to positions with more responsibility and better pay, Bellah said.

Arrested but not charged were Mario Lopez, 21; Maria Delcarmen Paez, 21; and Noelle Alyison Blue, 19.

Bellah said that the City Prosecutor's Office did not feel there was sufficient evidence against the three to obtain a conviction.

In addition to court proceeding, the seven will be referred to Steven Katz, Director of Judicial Affairs, for potential disciplinary action on the university level.