Email Verifier

Verify whether email addresses are deliverable by connecting to the recipient's mail server and checking if it accepts the address — without actually sending any mail.

How It Works

1. MX Lookup — Resolves the domain's mail exchange server
2. SMTP Handshake — Connects to the MX server on port 25
3. RCPT TO Check — Asks the server if it would accept mail for the address
4. Catch-All Detection — Tests a random address to detect catch-all domains

Dependencies

pip3 install dnspython

Usage

Single or multiple emails

python3 scripts/verify_email.py user@example.com another@domain.com

From stdin

echo "user@example.com" | python3 scripts/verify_email.py --stdin

From CSV (e.g., a lead list)

python3 scripts/verify_email.py --csv leads.csv --email-column "Contact Email"

Options

• --helo DOMAIN — HELO domain for SMTP greeting (default: verify.local)
• --timeout SECONDS — Connection timeout (default: 10)

Output

JSON array to stdout. Each result contains:

{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "domain": "example.com",
  "mx_host": "aspmx.l.google.com",
  "smtp_code": 250,
  "smtp_response": "2.1.5 OK",
  "deliverable": "yes"
}

Deliverability values

Value	Meaning
yes	Server accepted the recipient
no	Server rejected the recipient (invalid)
catch-all	Server accepts all addresses — cannot confirm inbox exists
unknown	Could not determine (timeout, block, greylisting)

Rate Limiting

The script includes built-in rate limiting to protect your IP reputation:

# Defaults: 1s between checks, max 20 per domain before 30s pause
python3 scripts/verify_email.py --csv leads.csv --email-column "Contact Email"

# Conservative: slower checks, lower burst limit
python3 scripts/verify_email.py --delay 3 --max-per-domain 10 --burst-pause 60 email@example.com

# Aggressive (not recommended from residential IPs)
python3 scripts/verify_email.py --delay 0.5 --max-per-domain 50 email@example.com

Options

• --delay SECONDS — Pause between each check (default: 1.0)
• --max-per-domain N — Max checks to one domain before pausing (default: 20)
• --burst-pause SECONDS — How long to pause after hitting the per-domain limit (default: 30)

Why rate limiting matters

SMTP verification connects directly to mail servers. Without rate limiting:

• Your IP gets blacklisted — Mail servers (especially Gmail, Microsoft) flag IPs that make many rapid RCPT TO requests. Once flagged, your IP may be blocked for hours or permanently.
• Port 25 gets blocked — ISPs monitor outbound port 25 traffic. Unusual volume can trigger automatic blocks.
• Greylisting increases — Servers that see rapid-fire checks start returning temporary failures, making your results less accurate.
• It looks like spam reconnaissance — Because that's exactly what spammers do. Legitimate use requires responsible pacing.

Guidelines for agents

Scenario	Recommended settings
Quick spot check (1-5 emails)	Defaults are fine
Small lead list (10-50 emails)	--delay 2 --max-per-domain 15
Larger batch (50-200 emails)	--delay 3 --max-per-domain 10 --burst-pause 60
Bulk verification (200+)	Use a dedicated service (ZeroBounce, NeverBounce) instead

Rule of thumb: Stay under 50 unique domain checks per day from a residential IP. For repeated checks to the same domain (pattern guessing), stay under 15 per session.

Limitations

• Catch-all domains accept all addresses; a "yes" doesn't guarantee a real inbox
• Some servers block SMTP verification (disconnect or timeout) — result will be "unknown"
• Greylisting temporarily rejects first attempts by design
• Rate limiting — don't bulk-verify hundreds from one IP; use a dedicated service for large lists
• Port 25 blocked — some ISPs/networks block outbound port 25; won't work from those environments
• Residential IPs may get flagged if used heavily — for bulk verification, prefer services like ZeroBounce or NeverBounce