Ideas
Edit: never cc or mod, Win11 PC, DX 12, memory boost disabled.
Wonder if these are connected ? I say this as the "stranger" only need to appear with an intent to talk to the sim(s) I am playing and they automatically become acquaintances. When the stranger talks to my sim - we immediately become friends. the thread is : Strangers in your converstion
And yes, I had a child, while she was in her 1st day of school (12 hours after she actually aged up), get a phone call from someone she has never met to congradulate them on their birthday, who in fact, was not even on the lot the birthday party occurred on and not in friend list anywhere. I canceled the call - I did not permit child to answer the phone while in school, and she immediately became friends with the caller anyway. she did not have any additional reward traits as she did not have any points to redeem!