Spam Trap Detection API
One spam trap in a send can get your domain blocklisted. Screen for high-risk addresses before you press send, not after the damage is done.
What Mailbeam checks
Every verification runs 7 checks in parallel and returns a structured result in under 100ms.
Trap-pattern risk signals
Flags addresses that match characteristics of pristine and recycled traps — dead domains, known honeypot patterns, and long-dormant mailboxes.
Recycled-trap heuristics
Identifies addresses on domains and providers that recycle abandoned mailboxes into traps, the most common way clean-looking lists go bad.
Risk level, not false certainty
Traps are never publicly labeled, so results are returned as a risk level you weigh — honest about what can and can't be known.
Works in bulk
Screen an entire list through the batch endpoint before a big send or a list purchase you didn't originate.
Pairs with engagement data
Combine the risk flag with your own never-opened / never-clicked signals to decide what to suppress.
Reputation-first defaults
When in doubt the API leans toward flagging risk, because the cost of one trap far exceeds one suppressed contact.
How it works
Submit addresses
Send a single address to /v1/verify or a full list to the batch endpoint.
Risk signals evaluated
Domain status, known trap patterns, provider recycling behavior, and syntactic markers are assessed together.
Risk level returned
You receive a risk indicator alongside the standard verdict — not a claim of certainty, since traps are unlabeled by design.
You suppress the risky segment
Remove or quarantine flagged addresses before sending to protect your domain's reputation.
Integrate in minutes
# Screen a list for trap risk before sending.
curl -X POST https://api.mailbeam.dev/v1/verify/batch \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $MAILBEAM_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"emails": ["old-contact@abandoned-domain.com"]}'
# Each result includes a risk level — suppress high-risk
# addresses before they reach your ESP.When to use it
Before a large campaign
Screen the send list first — a single recycled trap can blocklist your sending domain for weeks.
Cleaning purchased or inherited lists
Lists you didn't build yourself are the highest-risk source of traps; screen them before the first send.
Re-engagement of dormant contacts
Old, never-engaged addresses are exactly where recycled traps hide — screen before waking them.
Ongoing list hygiene
Re-screen periodically so decayed addresses that became traps are caught before your next send.
Frequently asked questions
Can you detect spam traps with certainty?
No one can — trap operators never publish their addresses, and that's the point. Mailbeam returns a risk level based on strong signals (dead domains, recycling providers, dormancy, known patterns) so you can suppress high-risk addresses. Treat it as risk reduction, not a guarantee.
What's the difference between pristine and recycled traps?
Pristine traps are addresses created solely to catch senders who scrape or buy lists. Recycled traps are once-real mailboxes abandoned and repurposed by the provider. Recycled traps are the bigger danger for otherwise-clean lists, and the heuristics weight for them.
Should I just delete every flagged address?
Suppress or quarantine them from active sends. Combine the risk flag with your own engagement data — an address that's both high-risk and never-engaged is a clear removal; use judgment on borderline cases.
Does this replace list hygiene?
No, it's part of it. Screening reduces trap risk, but permission-based collection, double opt-in, and pruning unengaged contacts remain essential to keeping traps out in the first place.
Can I screen a whole list at once?
Yes. Use the batch endpoint to screen an entire list before a send or after acquiring a list you didn't originate.
Ready to integrate?
Free tier includes 1,000 verifications/month. No credit card required.