A user’s pair of clips on TikTok went viral after recounting a strange and potentially dangerous experience they had while shopping at a Target location.
In a series of two videos, the first of which with over 746,000 views as of Sunday, TikTok user Blair (@blairelise_) says she was followed by a man while shopping with her child.
“PSA to women and mamas! Please be [vigilant] while you’re out alone and especially out alone with your young children,” she writes in the caption. “You can never be too safe, and ALWAYS trust your gut!”
@blairelise_ Part one. PSA to women and mamas! Please be viligant while you’re out alone and especially out alone with your young children. You can never be too safe, and ALWAYS trust your gut! @target #target #traffickingawarenes #trafficking #predators #predator #georgia #trending #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – blairstringfield
According to Blair, she was looking through items near the front of the store when a man approached her from behind and told her she was beautiful. She says she thanked the man, and he left.
Soon after, the man allegedly approached her again, this time asking if she was in a relationship. Blair says she affirmed that she was married, and the man acknowledged this and left again.
Something about this situation made Blair feel uncomfortable, she says. As a result, she claims she made a mental note to observe the man’s presence as she roamed through the store. Sure enough, every time she looked up, the man was “a few feet away.”
“I’m like, ‘fuck, I think this guy’s following me,’” Blair says.
Blair says she then called her husband, who directed her to inform the security at the store. She says she did so—while she waited for security to arrive, the man proceeded to leave and reenter the Target. Blair says she informed the staff that the man in question was the one following her.
When security arrived, Blair says she asked them to escort her to her car, to which the security guard readily agreed.
@blairelise_ PSA to women and mamas!! Please be viligant while out alone and especially out alone with your young children. You can never be too safe, and ALWAYS trust your gut! @target #target #humantraffickingawareness #traffickingawarenes #humantrafficking #foryoupage #fyp #trending ♬ original sound – blairstringfield
As Blair put her child into the car, she says she observed the alleged follower leave the store empty-handed and get into his car—which was parked right beside Blair’s. He then “sped off.”
“My main takeaway from all of this…is please trust your gut,” Blair says. “Trust your intuition. It will save you, potentially. It’s there to protect you.”
In the caption, Blair added hashtags like “#humantraffickingawareness #traffickingawarenes #humantrafficking.”
While one may get lost in the sea of trafficking hoaxes that populate TikTok—and being kidnapped by a total stranger is incredibly rare—Blair’s advice is fairly non-controversial. No matter whether the man was simply being creepy or had a more sinister intent, there are several steps people can take if they find themselves in similar situations and want to end them fast.
A 2022 article in the Los Angeles Times by author Ada Tseng offers an in-depth list of resolution techniques, from putting a barrier between you and a potential follower, familiarizing yourself with your phone’s emergency functions, and understanding how your brain reacts to traumatic situations.
Regardless of how one resolves the issue, for people like Blair, taking these extra steps can bring greater peace of mind when facing potentially dangerous situations.
“I’m just really glad that I did the right thing,” Blair says.
We’ve reached out to Blair via TikTok comment and Target via email.
