A class-action lawsuit has been filed against a major retail corporation, accusing it of unlawfully intercepting and collecting personal data from its website visitors. On November 6, 2025, Jesus Mendez lodged the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, targeting Dollar Tree, Inc., a Virginia-based company.
The legal action stems from allegations that Dollar Tree’s website employs tracking technologies developed by tech giants such as Google, Meta/Facebook, and Microsoft. These trackers reportedly gather extensive user data without consent, constituting what the plaintiffs argue is an illegal wiretapping operation under both federal and state laws. The lawsuit cites violations of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), claiming that these trackers intercept communications between users and the website. “By installing and using these trackers without prior consent or a court order,” states the complaint, “Defendant violated CIPA section 638.51(a).” This assertion is supported by references to recent case law that expands privacy protections to digital communications.
The plaintiff argues that this unauthorized data collection infringes on users’ privacy rights as protected by various statutes including CIPA and ECPA. The complaint further details how these tracking technologies function by embedding cookies on users’ browsers to collect information such as page views, click behavior, scroll depth, and other interactions. It alleges that this data is then shared with third parties like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel for targeted advertising purposes. Mendez claims he visited Dollar Tree’s website in March 2025 without purchasing anything but was subjected to this invasive tracking nonetheless.
In response to these alleged infractions, Mendez seeks several forms of relief from the court. The lawsuit demands statutory damages amounting to $5,000 per violation under CIPA and $10,000 per violation under the Federal Wiretap Act. Additionally, it calls for injunctive relief to prevent further privacy breaches and requests restitution for affected class members. The suit also asks for attorney fees and costs associated with bringing this action forward.
Representing Jesus Mendez are attorneys Mark D. Potter, James M. Treglio, and Claire Cylkowski from The Right Trial Lawyers firm based in Friendswood, Texas. The case has been assigned Case ID 25CV479544 in front of Judge Y. Chavez at the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara County.
Source: 25CV479544_Jesus_Mendez_v_Dollar_Tree_Complaint_County_of_Santa_Clara_California.pdf
