That email could have been sitting in your junk folder for all you know. Even with access to your account it would have been a dumb way to serve someone a summons.
Following my advice or not, email could have still fucked you.
No, it sucks. A summons usually requires them to serve it for-sure somehow (in-person or someone in your home that accepts it for you).
They had no idea where you were, so you fell for the pre-action letter. They would have never gone through the trouble of where-in-America—are-you to sue you.
Following my advice or not, email could have still fucked you.