COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- If you've let your credit or debit card out of your sight and into someone else's hands while making a purchase, your personal information could be at risk.

At least three people are accused of felony racketeering and identity theft in Colorado Springs.

Police have arrested 24-year-old Corey Barnett Skinner, 32-year-old Mark Nielsen, and 22-year-old Amanda Stillwell.

All three are accused of stealing and using credit card information from at least 48 people. They're also accused of charging more than $14,000 in purchases.

Police believe the crime operation started in the fall of last year.

Investigators say the group commissioned 34-year-old Shellie Ortiz, an employee at the Taco Bell on Academy Park Loop, to steal the information.

Here is how the thefts occurred, according to police:

Victims came to the Taco Bell drive-through window and ordered food. They each paid with their credit or debit cards.

The problem is that Ortiz was working the drive-through window, and when she was given customers' cards, she didn't just scan the purchases. She also scanned the cards on her personal skimmer or reader and thereby stole customers' information.

Arrest affidavits indicate Ortiz was exchanging the information with Stillwell, Skinner and Nielsen in exchange for cash.

From there, police say the suspects created duplicated cards and made purchases around Colorado Springs.

The affidavit indicates they shopped at businesses like Wal-Mart, and Babies R Us.

"A lynch pin in this was the loss prevention activities of some of the bank institutions," said Lt. David Whitlock, Colorado Springs Police Department.

Police say the three later expanded their operations to cities outside the Springs, to include Woodland Park and Broomfield, getting credit card information in different ways.

"For example, going to fitness centers, breaking into lockers, and skimming people's cards," Whitlock said.

Police say accessing these credit card readers is easy.

"There's a lot available on the black market, and there's nothing really sophisticated about the electronics," Whitlock said.

In fact, FOX21 News went online to e-Bay, typed in "credit card reader" and found several of the devices for sale.

With that in mind, police have several suggestions of how the public can protect their cards.

"One, you want to use a card where you can visibly see how and when it's being scanned. Secondly, don't pass it off to someone and let them carry it away," Whitlock said.

As for Taco Bell, Colorado Springs police suspect this isn't the only fast food chain where people were stealing information.

They are continuing the investigation and expect to find more victims.

All three suspects are being held in the El Paso County Jail on $100,000 bond.

Ortiz has also been arrested.