If you’re sick of sorting through garbage leads—think throwaway emails, typo-ridden addresses, or data that just doesn’t belong—this guide is for you. Maybe you already use Verifycatchall to clean emails, but still get junk slipping through. Good news: custom rules can help you filter out even more of the stuff you don’t want. Here’s how to set them up, what to watch out for, and why it’s worth the effort if your sales team is tired of chasing ghosts.
Why bother with custom rules in Verifycatchall?
Verifycatchall does a solid job of checking if an email is real or fake, but the default checks only get you so far. Here’s the reality:
- Default validation: Good for catching obvious fakes and syntax errors.
- The gaps: Disposable emails, “role” accounts (like
info@orsupport@), and weird patterns still sneak through. - Custom rules: Your chance to say, “Actually, this is what a bad lead looks like for my business.”
If you want better data, you’ll need to get specific about what “bad” means for you.
Step 1: Decide what a “bad lead” looks like
Don’t just turn on every filter you see. Start by figuring out what’s actually causing headaches for your team. Here are a few common offenders:
- Disposable domains: Temporary emails like
mailinator.comortempmail.net - Role-based addresses:
sales@,admin@,team@—these usually aren’t actual people - Typos in domains:
gamil.com,yaho.com…you get the idea - Free email providers: Sometimes you want to block
gmail.comand friends (sometimes you don’t) - Country-specific domains: If you only sell in certain countries, filter out what you can’t use
Pro tip: Don’t go overboard. Over-filtering means you’ll block real people who just happen to use a generic email. Start with your biggest pain points.
Step 2: Get familiar with the custom rule builder
Verifycatchall has a custom rule engine—think of it like a set of “if this, then that” statements for emails. You can:
- Block or flag emails based on domain, word patterns, or even regex if you’re feeling brave
- Set rules for both email and non-email fields (like names or phone numbers)
- Choose whether a rule is strict (hard block) or just a warning
Quick reality check: The interface isn’t always the fanciest, but it gets the job done. Don’t expect drag-and-drop magic. Expect dropdowns, text fields, and some trial and error.
Step 3: Build your first rule
Let’s walk through a simple example—blocking disposable emails.
- Log in to your Verifycatchall dashboard.
- Go to the “Custom Rules” section. Usually, it’s under “Settings” or “Lead Filtering.”
- Click “Add New Rule.”
- Set the condition:
- Field: Email
- Condition: “Contains domain in list”
- Value: Add domains like
mailinator.com,10minutemail.com,tempmail.net(start with a handful; you can expand later) - Choose the outcome:
- Action: Block (or Flag, depending on how strict you want to be)
- Save and test.
Pro tip: Start with flagging before blocking. See what gets caught—make sure you’re not nuking real leads by accident.
Step 4: Add more nuanced rules
Now that you’ve got the basics down, here are a few ideas to tighten things up:
A. Blocking role-based emails
- Field: Email
- Condition: “Starts with any of”
- Value:
info@,admin@,sales@,support@,contact@ - Action: Block or Flag
Why: These addresses rarely belong to a decision-maker.
B. Catching typos in domains
- Field: Email
- Condition: “Ends with any of”
- Value:
@gamil.com,@yaho.com,@outlok.com - Action: Flag
Why: Some people just type fast and hit submit. Flag these so you can follow up or auto-correct if you want.
C. Filtering out specific countries
- Field: Email Domain
- Condition: “Ends with”
- Value:
.ru,.cn,.br(example: if you can’t sell there or get flooded by spam) - Action: Block
Caution: Don’t block entire countries lightly. Sometimes good leads come from unexpected places.
Step 5: Test your rules (don’t skip this!)
It’s easy to break things by being too aggressive. Before you roll out new rules:
- Run your current lead list through the filter. See what would get blocked or flagged.
- Spot-check for false positives. Are you catching real users by mistake?
- Adjust as needed. Don’t be stubborn—if a rule is killing too many legitimate leads, loosen it up.
Pro tip: Always keep a backup of your original data. If something goes sideways, you’ll want to undo it fast.
Step 6: Keep your rules simple and maintainable
It’s tempting to build a monster rule set that covers every scenario. Don’t do it.
- Start small. Add a handful of high-impact rules.
- Review performance monthly. Are your leads better? Are sales complaining less?
- Tweak, don’t tinker. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
What doesn’t work:
- Endless lists of domains—maintenance hell.
- Overly complex regular expressions—someone will break it, and nobody will know how to fix it.
- Rules you copied from a random blog—your business is different.
Step 7: Monitor, adjust, and involve your team
Don’t set and forget. The best lead filters are living rules. Here’s what actually helps:
- Ask sales and support for feedback. Are they seeing fewer junk leads?
- Track “false positives.” Are you blocking real people? If so, loosen things up.
- Stay updated on new disposable domains. They pop up all the time; add them when you see them.
Pro tip: Share what you’re doing with your team. If they don’t know why some leads get blocked, you’ll just create confusion.
What’s worth ignoring?
Some advice out there is more trouble than it’s worth:
- Blocking all free email providers: Unless you know your buyers never use Gmail or Yahoo, don’t nuke them. Many legit users have personal emails.
- Aggressive pattern-matching on names: You’ll block “John Smith” and “Jane Doe,” but you’ll also frustrate real people.
- Over-optimizing for spam: You’ll never catch everything. Focus on the 80/20—what actually wastes your team’s time.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, review often
Custom rules in Verifycatchall are powerful, but don’t make them a full-time job. Tackle your biggest pain points, keep your rules tight, and check in every so often to see if they’re working. If you start simple and stay open to feedback, you’ll spend less time cleaning junk and more time working with real leads. That’s the point.