A man on TikTok has an important PSA for users meeting each other through the app: always practice caution.
Stitching a video from another creator who claims their TikTok mutual tried to rob them, TikToker (@purposeandresilience) details an experience his friend had when he decided to meet a fellow TikTok user in person. The friend decided to meet his TikTok mutual, who he seemed to have only communicated with through social media previously. User @purposeandresilience tried to caution his friend against meeting someone he had met through social media so soon.
“I said, ‘Hey man, take a couple months, maybe see her in the fall or the winter, sometime like that, after you’ve put in some time on the phone with her. FaceTime her, do more,’” user @purposeandresilience says, sharing the advice he had given his friend. “Don’t be so quick to go down there.”
The TikToker doesn’t say where his friend or the TikTok mutual lived, but it seems that the in-person meeting would be out of state for his friend. He says his friend refused to listen to his advice.
@purposeandresilience #stitch with @atlbookwriter I will keep saying it #besafe #tictokdating ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator
The TikTok mutual promised the friend a good time when he visited, adding that she would cook for him. His friend’s plan was to stay with the mutual at her house. User @purposeandresilience again discouraged his friend from visiting the woman, especially at her house because she said she had kids.
“That doesn’t sound right, bruh,” user @purposeandresilience says in his video. “And I told him no woman is going to let you stay with her kids.”
He encouraged his friend to stay at a hotel and get a rental car, even offering to pay for the hotel himself. But his friend reassured him the woman had offered to pick him up from the airport when he arrived for their meeting.
When the day came for the woman to pick his friend up from the airport, she backed out, saying her car was “messed up” that day. She asked the friend to take an Uber to her home, @purposeandresilience says.
At that point, the TikToker told his friend to “abort the mission.” He claims the mutual was clearly trying to set his friend up for foul play, but his friend still wouldn’t believe him. However, the user convinced his friend to get a rental car and take some safety precautions for meeting the TikTok mutual.
User @purposeandresilience says he convinced his friend to drive to the woman’s home but park down the street, where he could see the home but not be seen by her. Then, he texted the mutual that he was on his way and waited to see what would happen.
As soon as his friend sent the message, the TikToker claims three men “that you could tell had something on them” showed up and went into the house. User @purposeandresilience says the three men were wearing masks as well.
“This is why you have to practice safety wherever you go,” user @purposeandresilience says in the video. “Now his life could have been taken because he was chasing some tail. And when I tell you men this and I tell you women this, y’all laugh and joke at me. But this video right here can show you and tell you why you need to be safe. Stop playing with your doggone life, or it may be the last time you play with it.”
Viewers commended the TikToker for being a “good friend” and trusting his gut.
“You are a good friend, and when something doesn’t feel right it usually isn’t!” one viewer commented.
“Gut feelings are there for a reason ..do not ever ignore them,” a second viewer commented.
A third said, “You’re a great friend…you’re also 100% correct. no respectable woman would have a man she doesn’t know at her house with her kids.”
Other viewers echoed that you should always feel skeptical when someone you meet online is in a hurry to meet in person.
“I just had to tell my nephew this.. talking about he going to see a woman in North Carolina. I really had to stress this to him.. don’t do it..” one user said.
Another user wrote, “People will set you up so quick always pay attention if it seems sketchy it probably is. Being from Cali you see this all the time there.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @purposeandresilience via TikTok comment.
