SAN JOSE — Eight people face felony theft and fraud charges in a case involving a company that used a bait-and-switch tactic to swindle customers who believed they were getting a good deal on moving services, prosecutors said.

The company used a host of names, including ASAP Relocations, America’s Best Movers, Champions Movers, Fast Moving Van Lines, Quick Quotes for Moving and Encore Movers.

After a four-year, multiagency investigation, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office levied charges against eight company officials and employees on Monday. Prosecutors believe victims number in the hundreds.

According to prosecutor Martha Donohoe, employees would pitch a price and then add in undisclosed fees for packing and packaging supplies that would often double or triple the bill.

If a customer balked at paying the extra costs, the movers would threaten to take their possessions and put them in storage, which would also result in additional fees.

“Consumers should carefully check out moving companies before they schedule a moving date,” Donohoe said in a statement. “Check the company’s registration, search Better Business Bureau and Yelp ratings, and get an in-home visual estimate in advance of moving day. You can’t always tell, but you can lower the odds that you will end up the victim of a shady operation.”

Donahue said the unreported cash was used for under-the-table payments to workers, sent to overseas accounts and funded “the luxury lifestyle of the company president and his wife, who bought his and hers Mercedes-Benz.”

Three of the workers were arraigned Monday, while five others are believed to be on the run. Charged are company President Roni Hayon, 36; his wife, Adii Therese Karter, 32; office manager Adalinda Reyna-Mendoza, 27; salesman Wayne Allen, 53; manager Maoz Kadesh, 36; manager Ido Or, 37; manager Noam Israeli, 29; and foreman Elazar Nisanov, 31.

Allen, Kadesh and Reyna-Mendoza entered not guilty pleas at their Monday arraignments.

The defendants were indicted by a grand jury on 31 counts including felony theft, income tax fraud and money laundering.

Contact Eric Kurhi at 408-920-5852. Follow him at Twitter.com/erickurhi.