Sadly I have seen similar methods before. I know of folks that where laid off via email. They got into the building OK (contract workers), could get to their email, and got notices from the contract house in email they where laid off. Several of them where not sure if it was real or not (had to call to confirm).
http://gawker.com/the-extremely-shitty-way-one-man-learned-hed-been-fired-1736246456