Hamilton police are investigating the attempted abduction of a 19-year-old woman.

The teen was waiting to be picked up after having finished work at a restaurant at the Hillcrest shops around 10.30 last night.

Police say a northbound car turned around, and the three male occupants whistled and shouted, before the driver got out and attempted to drag her into the car.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Cranshaw says the woman screamed for help and hit her assailant, before he jumped back in his car and headed south along State Highway 1 towards Cambridge.

The offender is described as dark skinned, aged in his mid to late twenties with an "Indian" accent.

His black, chin length hair with blonde tips was tied up.

And police say oddly for the time of night, he was wearing sunglasses.