The risky status

Risky1 credit per result · default action: Send with caution

Risky means the address may accept mail, but sending to it can hurt your bounce rate or your sender reputation. It costs 1 credit. The action depends on the reason: some risky addresses are worth a careful send, others should be removed.

How to decide

Reasons	Typical decision
`catch_all`, `role_catch_all`, `forwarding_domain`	The mailbox cannot be confirmed. Keep these in a separate segment, send to them only if they matter to you, and watch bounces.
`role_account`	A shared inbox such as info@ or sales@. Fine for business replies; often unwanted in marketing lists.
`disposable`, `toxic`, `suppressed`, `possible_trap`, `spamtrap`, `complainer`	Remove. These addresses rarely lead to a customer and can damage your sender reputation.

The action field already applies this table: send_with_caution or remove.

Catch-all domains

A catch-all domain accepts mail for every address during a check, real or not, so no check can tell whether a specific mailbox exists without sending a message. When the domain has a strong record of delivering mail, we return deliverable with the reason trusted_catch_all instead. More in Catch-all emails explained.

Reasons

Catch-all domain

catch_all: The domain accepts mail for every address, so this specific mailbox cannot be confirmed.

Recommended action: Send with caution. Send only if the address matters to you, and watch bounces and complaints for this segment.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: catch_all@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "catch_all@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "catch_all",
  "action": "send_with_caution",
  "account": "catch_all",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": true,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Role address

role_account: The address belongs to a team or function, such as info@ or sales@, rather than to one person.

Recommended action: Send with caution. Send only if the address matters to you, and watch bounces and complaints for this segment.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: role_account@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "role_account@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "role_account",
  "action": "send_with_caution",
  "account": "role_account",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": true,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Role address on a catch-all domain

role_catch_all: A team or function address on a domain that accepts mail for every address.

Recommended action: Send with caution. Send only if the address matters to you, and watch bounces and complaints for this segment.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: role_catch_all@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "role_catch_all@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "role_catch_all",
  "action": "send_with_caution",
  "account": "role_catch_all",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": true,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": true,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Disposable inbox

disposable: The address comes from a throwaway mail service whose inboxes are usually abandoned quickly.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: disposable@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "disposable@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "disposable",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "disposable",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": true,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Linked to abuse

toxic: The address is associated with spam, abuse or automated sign-ups.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: toxic@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "toxic@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "toxic",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "toxic",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Forwarding-only domain

forwarding_domain: The domain only relays mail to mailboxes elsewhere, which hides whether the final mailbox exists.

Recommended action: Send with caution. Send only if the address matters to you, and watch bounces and complaints for this segment.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: forwarding_domain@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "forwarding_domain@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "forwarding_domain",
  "action": "send_with_caution",
  "account": "forwarding_domain",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

On do-not-contact lists

suppressed: The address appears on widely shared do-not-contact lists, often after earlier bounces or complaints.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: suppressed@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "suppressed@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "suppressed",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "suppressed",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Possible trap

possible_trap: The address follows patterns that traps often use, so mailing it can damage your sender reputation.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: possible_trap@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "possible_trap@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "possible_trap",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "possible_trap",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Spam trap

spamtrap: The address is believed to exist only to catch senders who mail lists without consent.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: spamtrap@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "spamtrap@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "spamtrap",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "spamtrap",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}

Frequent complainer

complainer: The person behind this address often reports legitimate mail as spam.

Recommended action: Remove. Remove the address from your list or ask for another one.
Credit: 1 credit when it comes from a completed check.
Test address: complainer@sandbox.email-validation.org (free)

Example response

{
  "email": "complainer@sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "status": "risky",
  "reason": "complainer",
  "action": "remove",
  "account": "complainer",
  "domain": "sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "did_you_mean": null,
  "free_email": false,
  "role_account": false,
  "disposable": false,
  "catch_all_domain": false,
  "mx_found": true,
  "mx_record": "mx.sandbox.email-validation.org",
  "smtp_provider": "other",
  "domain_age_days": 3650,
  "processed_at": "2026-11-02T09:30:00.000Z",
  "credits_used": 0,
  "request_id": "req_7Hq2LmX9cV4bN8tR1zK6wD"
}