A Utah woman says she called police after a stranger repeatedly approached women who were alone near Central Ninth Market in Salt Lake City. She said the man first approached her while she was having lunch in her car with a friend and asked for $40 in cash to pay for a taxi. After seeing him approach other women, she became concerned and decided to contact police.
The story was shared on TikTok by Ava Marin, whose username is @avemarin. The video received more than one million views, with many viewers expressing concern about the situation and supporting her decision to report it.
In the video, Marin says the man approached her driver’s-side window and claimed he had recently returned from Germany and needed to get to Vineyard. He allegedly said his cards were not working and that he needed $40 to pay a taxi driver who was supposedly on the way.
When Marin said she did not have cash, she said the man repeatedly suggested that she go with him to a nearby ATM. She declined and offered to order him an Uber instead, but said he refused because he claimed he had already negotiated a cheaper taxi ride.
Marin said another person nearby warned her that the man was running a scam. After she refused to give him money, she said he approached another woman who was sitting alone in a car. Marin warned the woman, who then rolled up her window.
Around 30 minutes later, the Utah woman said she saw the man with another woman and heard him again telling her that an ATM was nearby. She stopped to check on the woman and warned her about the earlier encounter. Marin said the woman appeared nervous but told her she was okay.
Marin said she eventually called police and gave them the man’s description and location. She also acknowledged that the man’s story could have been legitimate, but said his repeated attempts to approach women alone made her uncomfortable.
Utah Woman’s ATM Encounter Raises Red Flags
The reaction was largely supportive. One commenter wrote, “Nope, nope, nope. My mom always taught me that a man will NEVER ask a woman for help.”
Other viewers said the ATM request was a major red flag, while some focused on the fact that Marin said the man appeared to be approaching women who were alone. Several commenters shared similar experiences involving strangers approaching their cars at parking lots, airports, gas stations and rest stops.
One commenter recalled being asked by a stranger on a train to get off at the next station and withdraw money from an ATM for him. Another person said they had experienced a similar situation at a Panera parking lot in Los Angeles.
Many viewers also praised Marin for checking on the second woman. One commenter who identified themselves as a police officer said they tell people that if they feel they need to call police, they should call.
For the Utah woman, the question was simple: better to make the call and be wrong than wonder what might have happened.
