'Tagging' and 'Sharking': Inside the Sick 'Dollar Tree Gooner' Trend Targeting Female Shoppers

Women across many US states have reported strikingly similar incidents of alleged sexual assault inside Dollar Tree stores, raising fresh concerns about whether isolated crimes may reflect a wider pattern.

An investigation by The Guardian has brought renewed attention to allegations that men have deliberately targeted female shoppers, exposing themselves and, in some cases, committing contact sexual assaults while filming or sharing the acts online.

The investigation centres on what online communities have reportedly labelled the 'Dollar Tree gooner', a term linked to an internet subculture associated with compulsive sexual behaviour.

According to The Guardian, some online users refer to assaulting unsuspecting women in public as 'tagging' or 'sharking', language that investigators say reflects an alarming effort to normalise criminal conduct rather than isolated acts of indecent exposure.

Shocked female shoppers report feeling unsafe in everyday environments as courts grapple with a rising number of similar cases stretching from Texas to Pennsylvania. They now demand urgent accountability from corporate retailers to protect them from predators exploiting understaffed aisles.

The Chilling Reality Behind 'Tagging' and 'Sharking'

Investigation shows number of cases that appear to follow a similar pattern across different parts of the US.

One of the accounts highlighted dates back to 2023, when a woman shopping at a Dollar Tree store in Texas reported that a man sexually assaulted her by ejaculating on her inside the shop. After notifying employees, she reportedly overheard one staff member remark in Spanish, 'We've got another one.'

The woman later became aware of similar reports involving other Dollar Tree branches.

'We couldn't believe how big the scale was,' her attorney, Anna Greenberg, told The Guardian.

Investigators identified multiple reported incidents involving different suspects in different states over several years.

Legal Battles and Corporate Accountability

Several of the cases referenced in The Guardian investigation have already resulted in arrests or criminal prosecutions.

Attorneys argue that chronically understaffed stores create an inviting environment for criminals seeking soft targets.

In Philadelphia during 2024, a woman publicly described being sexually assaulted inside a Dollar Tree store. The case gained widespread attention after she recorded the immediate aftermath and shared her experience online.

According to Fox 29 Philadelphia, the suspect surrendered to police a few days later. Court records cited in The Guardian state that he later pleaded guilty to indecent exposure, open lewdness and indecent assault without the consent of the other party.

Another case involved a sheriff's deputy in Texas who allegedly exposed himself to a woman inside a different Dollar Tree location. KTRK reported that the deputy was relieved of duty and charged with indecent exposure following the incident.

The reports extend further back. NBC San Diego covered a case in 2019 in which California resident Blanca Chavez alleged that a man masturbated in front of her while she was shopping inside a Dollar Tree store.

'If he did this to me, what could he do to a kid?' Chavez told NBC San Diego at the time.

The incidents span several years, involve unrelated suspects and occurred in different regions of the US. Investigators found recurring similarities in how victims described the alleged offences, even though authorities have not identified evidence linking every case to a coordinated criminal network.

Online Communities Face Renewed Scrutiny

The Guardian's investigation also points towards online spaces where users allegedly discuss or encourage these acts.

Researchers and law enforcement agencies have increasingly warned that internet communities can reinforce harmful behaviour by rewarding increasingly extreme conduct. While the overwhelming majority of online users never engage in criminal activity, investigators say these digital spaces may contribute to offenders seeking notoriety or validation through public sexual offences.

The findings stop short of concluding that every reported incident forms part of an organised trend. Instead, they highlight how similar language, behaviour and alleged motivations appear repeatedly across separate criminal cases.

Dollar Tree Says Customer Safety Is Its Priority

Following publication of the investigation, Dollar Tree said it treats reports of criminal or inappropriate behaviour with the utmost seriousness.

'We take reports of inappropriate, unlawful, or harassing behaviour in our stores extremely seriously,' a company spokesperson said in a statement.

'Any incident of this nature is unacceptable, and when we become aware of criminal activity, we cooperate fully with law enforcement and support their investigations.'

The retailer added that the safety of customers and employees remains its highest priority, pointing to staff training, operational procedures, ongoing policy reviews, physical security investments and collaboration with local law enforcement agencies. However, survivors insist that empty statements fail to resolve the fundamental security failures plaguing discount retail chains nationwide.