Woman being followed by three strangers inside Target rushed to staff for help — what employees saw next confirmed her worst fear
Even something as simple as a routine shopping trip can expose a person to danger if they’re not vigilant enough. A TikTok user named Ariya Marie shared a post under her handle @thatasiangirl2000 on June 7, 2026, about her horrifying experience. She had gone to Target to pick up a prescription when she noticed three strange men following her. She quickly got what she needed while trying to stay out of their sight. Somehow, they were still nearby. She informed the staff about the situation, and once they observed the trio, they realized how concerning it was.
@thatasiangirl2000 If you think someone’s following you, take 4 left or right turns and if after the 4th turn they’re still behind you, go tell a worker immediately or if you’re in a car then start driving to the closest police station. I hate that this happened again I’m officially not going to that target without my husband ever again. #stalked #traffickingawarenes #womenssafety #safetytips #storytime ♬ original sound - 𝐌 𝐔 𝐋 𝐀 𝐍 🪭
Marie mentioned that since she had been followed to that location multiple times, her guard was already up. She noticed a man in a blue shirt standing in one of the aisles. What stood out to her was that he wasn’t shopping and was just on the phone. A little while later, she saw another person hovering in the same section as her. It wasn’t long before she spotted yet another stranger in a hoodie keeping tabs on her. She alerted the staff and asked them to walk her to her car. When they intervened, they observed one stalker standing at the door, while the other two stayed close by, pretending to use the ATM or other facilities nearby. They remained in the area for as long as Marie was in the store. The second they saw three workers walking her to her car, they fled.
Their escape confirmed her suspicion. Before this, she had noticed many signs that something about them was off. For instance, all three of them were on calls, as if they were speaking to each other. They kept lingering around the aisles that she visited. When she went to check out, they arrived there too. Seeing this, she stalled for a bit, only for them to also pretend they had forgotten something. She thought they had gone, but was shocked to see one man standing right behind her at the checkout line the second time.
She asked a worker to help her with self-checkout, and that’s when she revealed what was going on. Even the staff noticed the men were acting suspiciously. While they fled, Marie did her best to describe them to the employees. She mentioned that she suspected a trafficking attempt. According to the Stalking Prevention, Awareness and Resource Center, 13.5 million people are stalked each year in the United States. 1 in 3 women experiences this terrifying situation. There’s no telling what someone's intent may be or what their next move will be, which is why vigilance is crucial.
Sharing a message with fellow women, she urged them to be cautious and watch people’s actions. She also noted that if someone feels something is off, they shouldn’t ignore their instincts and should ask for help. Commenters shared their reactions. @hallenoelle wrote, “I have been followed multiple times at Target, too. I’m scared to go to any store alone.” @natural_Life_for_us added, “I would have started screaming so loud at them.” @kandyb14 remarked, “This happened to me, I had to call the police.”
You can follow @thatasiangirl2000 on TikTok for more content on lifestyle and safety.
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