Don't verify email addresses by sending spam to them
milek7.pl
June 23, 2026
2 min read
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57/100
Summary
Validating email addresses by sending spam is ineffective and not recommended. A Pangram sign-up form uses a POST request to verify emails, but sending spam for validation contradicts established best practices.
Key Takeaways
- Sending spam emails is being used as a method to validate email addresses by some users.
- The Pangram sign-up form triggers an email validation request upon submission of an email address.
- The practice of email validation through spam involves rotating through multiple sender domains to avoid detection.
- The article highlights the futility of trying to validate email addresses before sending verification links.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · milek7.pl
Community discussions
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Community Sentiment
Positives
- Using a one-time code for email verification enhances security and reduces the risk of spam, aligning with best practices for user data protection.
- Mailgun's validation API offers comprehensive data, which can improve the accuracy of email verification processes and reduce false positives.
Concerns
- The potential for third-party APIs to misuse email validation techniques raises significant ethical concerns about user privacy and data security.
- The suspicion that email validation services might leak addresses to spammers undermines trust in these tools and could lead to increased spam for users.
