Definition
Email verification (or validation) checks whether an email address is likely to receive mail, without actually sending one.
What it checks
- Syntax — is it formatted like an email?
- Domain — does the domain exist and have mail servers (MX records)?
- Mailbox — does the mail server confirm the address exists?
- Risk — is it disposable, role-based, a known spam trap or on a catch-all domain?
Typical results
- valid / deliverable — safe to send
- invalid — will bounce; remove
- catch-all / accept-all — the domain accepts everything, so the mailbox can't be confirmed (catch-all emails)
- unknown — the server didn't answer clearly
- risky — disposable, role or trap addresses
Why it matters
Bounces damage your sender reputation. Verifying before large sends keeps bounce rates low and protects your domains.
Verification and found emails
Emails found on a business's own website are usually real, but websites go out of date. Prospect Cheap includes an email status for found emails; verify large lists before sending.
Related: should you verify emails before sending?
Example
A list of 2,000 emails is verified: 1,780 come back valid, 120 catch-all, 60 invalid and 40 unknown. Sending only to the valid ones (and carefully to catch-alls) avoids around 100 bounces that would have hurt the sending domain.
Key takeaways
- Verification checks addresses without sending email.
- Remove invalid addresses; treat catch-all and unknown with care.
- Verify large or older lists before sending.