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A viral TikTok video is raising new alarms about Uber rider safety after a Fort Lauderdale woman shared a disturbing experience involving an Uber driver who locked her in the car and tried to kiss her after offering a ride under suspicious circumstances.
The story first surfaced on The Mary Sue, a website known as the “geek girl’s guide to the universe,” which celebrates “geek culture through a feminist lens”. The platform promotes inclusivity, creativity, and safety—values that sharply contrast with what unfolded for TikTok user Lauren Becker (@lauren.becker30) on a recent night out.
In her May 11 video, Becker recounts how her night took a terrifying turn after her phone died just before her scheduled Uber arrived. Another vehicle with an Uber sign appeared, but the driver explained he was there to pick up someone else. Coincidentally, another woman nearby had the name the driver mentioned, and the two women realized they were heading to the same destination, so they shared the ride.
“Everything’s fine in the Uber,” Becker said, describing a casual exchange with the other passenger. After dropping off the woman at her apartment complex, Becker planned to walk the short distance to her own destination.
Becker said the Uber driver lingered as she began walking. “He started moving his car towards me and rolled his window down and was like, ‘I really don’t think it’s safe for you to walk alone here at night. Let me drive you to where you need to be,’” she recounted.
Reluctant but unsure of her surroundings—and with a dead phone—Becker agreed and got back in the car. That’s when the situation escalated. “The second I get in the car, this man proceeds to grab my hand very aggressively and kiss it,” she said.
When they reached her stop, the driver locked the doors and asked her for a kiss. She declined, but he reportedly became more persistent, asking, “Not even a kiss on the cheek?”
“I said, ‘No, I’m going home,’” Becker recalled. She managed to get out safely, but the encounter left her shaken. “I hear horrifying stories about other girls being in Ubers, and I just never thought something like this would ever happen to me.”
The video has since garnered over 487,000 views and a flood of comments urging Becker to report the incident to police and Uber. One commenter wrote, “As a girl that lives in this area—this is so terrifying.” Others stressed the importance of traveling with a fully charged phone and being cautious, even in seemingly harmless situations.
Uber has faced ongoing scrutiny for safety issues involving drivers. According to its own 2022 Safety Report, Uber received 998 reports of sexual assault in 2020 alone. Following a 2018 CNN exposé, Uber and Lyft committed to releasing transparency reports, with the latest Uber report published in June 2022.
This disturbing incident echoes allegations made in more than 2,300 federal lawsuits filed against Uber in the Northern District of California (MDL No. 3084), where plaintiffs claim the company failed to properly vet drivers, concealed known dangers, and marketed its platform as safer than it truly was. In addition to the federal multidistrict litigation, hundreds more claims are advancing in state courts, including California’s Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings. Central to these cases is the claim that Uber knowingly misrepresented safety policies while allowing repeat offenders to remain on the platform.
If you or someone you love has experienced sexual assault by an Uber driver and don’t know where to turn, you are not alone. Help is available. Visit our comprehensive legal guide to learn more about your options, or fill out our brief, confidential form. Our intake team is here to help connect survivors with compassionate, experienced attorneys who can help hold rideshare companies accountable and support your pursuit of justice and compensation for the non-consensual experience.
