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Is there an easy (free) way to clean/cleanse an email list?

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  • 23-06-2008 10:58am
    #1
    Zascar
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,778 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    In work I have a giant list of contact details for customers that I have built up over the years. I sent out occasional e-shots of upcoming events and product launches etc, but I send selectively, rarely to all.

    Many of these email addresses are now invalid. Ideally I should be updating/deleting as I go, but I didn't.

    I'm wondering if there might be some way to cleans my data and find out which email addresses are now invalid, so i can delete from my spreadsheet.

    Any ideas?


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    #2
    Keano
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 12,803 Mod ✭✭✭✭Keano


    I don't know of a quick way.

    This website checks DNS validation.


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    #3
    Snowbat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭Snowbat


    There is a Debian/Ubuntu Linux package for this. It makes use of the SMTP VRFY command: http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/vrfy

    It is also possible to run the list through a sender-callback-verification type mechanism:
    HELO <local host name>
    MAIL FROM:<>
    RCPT TO:<the address to be tested>
    QUIT

    Note that spammers also use these techniques to clean their lists - trying to use them may get your IP address blacklisted and/or complaints to your ISP. The VRFY command is often disabled on servers for this reason and admins may have countermeasures in place to block sender callback verification systems as they use server resources and (when it was being used used by a certain large ESP) has generated sufficient traffic to be considered abusive.


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