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Actually a lot of email addresses cannot be validated this way since most ESPs including gmail have adopted an 'accept-all' approach to incoming email. So getting the email accepted by the server is no indication that the address exists, or that the email will actually be delivered to that address even if it exists.


>... including gmail ...

  #> swaks  --quit-after RCPT --TO kdskr3j2@gmail.com                
  === Trying gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com:25...
  === Connected to gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com.
  <-  220 mx.google.com ESMTP a199si3828494itd.133 - gsmtp
   -> EHLO example.com
  <-  250-mx.google.com at your service, [xx.xx.xx.xx]
  <-  250-SIZE 157286400
  <-  250-8BITMIME
  <-  250-STARTTLS
  <-  250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
  <-  250-PIPELINING
  <-  250-CHUNKING
  <-  250 SMTPUTF8
   -> MAIL FROM:<bob@example.com>
  <-  250 2.1.0 OK a199si3828494itd.133 - gsmtp
   -> RCPT TO:<kdskr3j2@gmail.com>
  <** 550-5.1.1 The email account that you tried to reach does not exist. Please try
  <** 550-5.1.1 double-checking the recipient's email address for typos or
  <** 550-5.1.1 unnecessary spaces. Learn more at
  <** 550 5.1.1  https://support.google.com/mail/?p=NoSuchUser a199si3828494itd.133 - gsmtp
   -> QUIT
  <-  221 2.0.0 closing connection a199si3828494itd.133 - gsmtp
  === Connection closed with remote host.




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