Image: Leon Neal (Getty Images)
Elon Musk is struggling to let go. Twitter had to reassure its own fired employees that an email sent early Saturday morning was “not a phishing attempt” after it went straight to their spam inbox. The email, which was sent from [email protected] rather than an @twitter.com address, contained the separation agreements of former Twitter employees and contained information on severance pay.
Former Twitter contributor Parker Lyons tweeted on Saturday: “If you were wondering about the current state of Twitter, many people have just received their disconnection agreements in their spam folders pointing to a URL that was registered with a 1 star by a provider this morning [Better Business Bureau] review.” He continued, “If it were still there, I would have reported it as phishing.”
The email included credentials for CPT Group’s website, which told former employees they could see the full separation agreement, but many remained unsure if it was legitimate. Twitter’s HR department sent a follow-up email confirming that the email was intentional.
“We are writing to confirm that we have hired a third party, CPT Group, to help propagate Twitter disconnect agreements in the United States,” the email said, according to the insider.
It continues: “This email was an official company communication and not a phishing attempt. If you didn’t receive your consent email, please check your spam folder.”
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The CPT Group did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment. According to its website, the company is based in Irvine, California, and is a “leading provider of class action notice and settlement administration services.”
Twitter, which no longer has a media department, did not respond to a request for comment as all emails were returned as undeliverable.
The email linked former employees to the Twitter disconnect page on the CPT website, which said: “As you know we have had to reduce our global workforce to ensure the success of the company and your employment has been impacted.
“Since we informed you of your status you remain unemployed, employed and on the payroll and will remain so until your separation date. You are also entitled to additional severance pay if you sign a separation agreement and are fired.”
Thousands of Twitter employees were laid off in November, just weeks after Elon Musk acquired the social media platform, accounting for more than half the workforce. Since the layoffs, former Twitter employees have been awaiting their severance packages, which Musk had said would offer three months’ paid severance pay in exchange for employees who refrain from suing Twitter.