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What each verification result means

SAFE, RISKY, INVALID and UNKNOWN, the reason behind each, and what to do with the address

Updated 10 October 2026

Every address you check gets one of four results: SAFE, RISKY, INVALID or UNKNOWN. Each comes with a reason that says what decided it, and a score from 0 to 100. This article explains each result and what to do with the address.

Note: Campaigns never send to INVALID or UNKNOWN addresses, and hold most RISKY ones instead of sending to them.
Note: Yahoo, AOL and other addresses whose email Yahoo handles accept every address during a check, even one that does not exist. SpamCipher shows them as SAFE when Yahoo accepts them and INVALID when Yahoo refuses them, so a SAFE result there is less certain than elsewhere.

Find the result

Step 1: Open a result

  • Check an address, or under Recently Verified, click Details next to one you checked before.
  • The result appears below the address box.

Step 2: Read the status and the reason

  • Status is the result.
  • Reason says what decided it.
  • Score goes from 0 to 100, and higher is better. Use the status to decide; the score helps you compare addresses with the same status.

What each result means

Step 3: SAFE

  • SAFE means the mail server confirmed the mailbox exists and accepts email.
  • The reason is Mailbox confirmed deliverable.
  • Send to it.

Step 4: RISKY

  • RISKY means the address might work, but something about it is a concern.
  • Here the domain is catch-all: Catch-All shows Yes. The domain accepts every address, so this mailbox can't be confirmed.
  • Other reasons: a throwaway address, a full mailbox, a shared address such as info@ or support@, a likely spam trap, or a domain on a blocklist.
  • Send with care. Campaigns hold most RISKY addresses instead of sending to them.

Step 5: INVALID

  • INVALID means email to this address won't arrive.
  • Here the reason is Mailbox does not exist: the mail server said there is no such mailbox.
  • Other reasons: the address is written wrongly, the domain has no mail server or doesn't accept email, or the mailbox is turned off.
  • Don't send to it. SpamCipher adds it to your Suppressions list, so no campaign emails it.

Step 6: UNKNOWN

  • UNKNOWN means the mail server didn't give a clear answer.
  • Here the reason is Could not connect to the mail server. Other reasons: the check timed out, or you chose Syntax Only, which skips the mail server.
  • Try again later. An UNKNOWN result does not use a credit, and campaigns don't send to UNKNOWN addresses.

Troubleshooting

A Yahoo or AOL address shows SAFE. Can I trust it?

Yahoo, and the other providers it runs such as AOL, accept every address during a check, even one that does not exist. SpamCipher shows SAFE whenever Yahoo accepts the address and INVALID when Yahoo refuses it, so a made-up address there can show SAFE. If an email to one of these addresses bounces, SpamCipher marks it INVALID and stops emailing it.

What is the score?

A number from 0 to 100 that combines everything SpamCipher checked, including the domain's email set-up, its reputation and age, and signs that a real person uses the address. Decide by the status; use the score to compare addresses with the same status.

What is a catch-all domain?

A domain that accepts email for any address, real or not. SpamCipher can confirm the domain takes email but not that this one mailbox exists, so the result is RISKY.

The result says Reused

Someone in your workspace checked this address recently, so SpamCipher shows that result again and does not use a credit.