Phishing emails disguised as Paperless Post or Evite party invitations are becoming more widespread, prompting warnings from the US Federal Trade Commission. The scams may request email passwords, phone numbers or verification codes, but in some cases the fraudulent invitations have also unexpectedly prompted recipients to reconnect with long-lost friends and colleagues.

The journalist featured received messages about a fake “Special Private Dinner Party” and warned his contacts not to attend his home. Although the incident highlighted the continuing risks of sophisticated, AI-assisted social engineering, it led him to revive several dormant relationships. Research involving 2,400 adults in the US, UK and Canada found that people often avoid contacting old friends because they fear awkwardness or rejection, while Simon Fraser University research suggests only 30% do so even when reconnecting is made easy.