Should I correct typos in existing email addresses in my CRM and what are the best practices for handling email typos in Fintech signups?

Summary

The expert and marketer consensus is strongly against correcting email typos in a CRM without explicit user consent, particularly in the fintech industry, due to potential legal and regulatory violations (GDPR, privacy laws), security risks (PII leaks), and the possibility of sending emails to unintended recipients or spam traps. Instead, a multi-layered preventative approach is recommended during the signup process. Key elements include using double opt-in, real-time email validation and syntax checks, confirmation email fields, domain filtering (with warnings for unusual domains), CAPTCHA to prevent bot entries, input validation to sanitise user inputs and progressive profiling to reduce signup friction, and not checking for MX records. If an email fails in the fintech sector, alternative communication channels (SMS, paper) must be used. Regularly cleaning the existing CRM data and segmenting potentially incorrect addresses for targeted re-engagement campaigns are crucial for maintaining list hygiene.

Key findings

  • Legal Risks: Correcting typos without consent can violate privacy regulations like GDPR and other data protection laws.
  • Security Vulnerabilities: Incorrectly corrected emails can leak Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and create security risks, especially in Fintech.
  • Deliverability Concerns: Sending emails to corrected addresses risks spam complaints and exposure to spam traps, damaging sender reputation.
  • Intentional Typos: Some users may intentionally provide incorrect email addresses, making automatic corrections problematic.
  • Bot Activity: Bots often submit invalid emails; preventing them is essential for data quality.
  • Fallback Channels: In fintech, if an email fails, alternative communications channels are required.

Key considerations

  • Double Opt-in: Implement a confirmed opt-in process to ensure users actively consent and validate their email addresses.
  • Real-Time Validation: Use real-time email validation services during signup to catch typos, invalid syntax, and disposable email addresses.
  • Confirmation Email Field: Include a confirmation email field in signup forms to force users to double-check their entry.
  • Domain Filtering and Warnings: Implement domain filtering to flag less common or suspicious domains and warn users to verify.
  • Progressive Profiling: Collect the confirmation of email addresses later in the process to reduce signup friction.
  • Re-engagement Campaigns: Segment potentially incorrect addresses and run targeted campaigns asking users to confirm their information.
  • Regular List Cleaning: Periodically clean your CRM data to remove invalid or unengaged email addresses.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure all email practices comply with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
  • Utilise and understand validation tools: Need to know what tools to use and also when NOT to use them.
  • Sanitize User Inputs: Implement input validation to sanitise user input and prevent security risks.

What email marketers say
13Marketer opinions

Correcting typos in existing email addresses within a CRM, particularly for fintech signups, presents a complex issue. The consensus leans against directly correcting typos without explicit user consent due to privacy regulations and the risk of sending emails to unintended recipients. Instead, implementing robust preventative measures during signup is recommended. These include double opt-in processes, real-time email validation, confirmation email fields, and domain filtering. In fintech, it is also crucial to have fallback communication channels such as SMS or paper. Regular list cleaning and segmentation of potentially incorrect addresses for re-engagement campaigns are also valuable strategies. Some sources also advise against checking for MX records because it may show phishing domains.

Key opinions

  • Regulatory Compliance: Correcting typos without consent may violate privacy regulations like GDPR.
  • Intentional Incorrect Data: Some users may intentionally provide incorrect email addresses.
  • Risk of Spam Traps: Sending emails to corrected addresses may lead to spam complaints and exposure to spam traps.
  • Fallback Communication: In fintech, alternative channels (SMS, paper) are required when email fails.
  • Preventative measures are key: Implementing best practice to stop this situation occuring at the point of signup.

Key considerations

  • Double Opt-in: Implement a confirmed opt-in process to ensure valid email addresses and consent.
  • Real-time Validation: Use real-time email validation during signup to catch typos and invalid formats.
  • Confirmation Fields: Employ confirmation email fields in signup forms to reduce typo errors.
  • Domain Filtering: Implement domain filtering to alert users about less common domains.
  • List Cleaning: Regularly clean the CRM data to identify and address remaining issues.
  • Progressive Profiling: Collecting the confirmation of email addresses later in the process to reduce signup friction.
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog recommends using a confirmation email field in signup forms, where users have to enter their email twice, reducing the chances of typos.

August 2022 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid suggests implementing a filter that accepts only the most common domains (e.g., gmail.com, yahoo.com) and alerts the user if they enter a less common domain, prompting them to double-check their address.

May 2024 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit r/emailmarketing suggests that instead of correcting typos, segmenting those potentially incorrect addresses and sending a re-engagement campaign asking users to confirm their information is a better practice.

May 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Kickbox advises against automatically correcting emails and to use real-time email verification and double opt-in as the right strategy to get valid and engaged contacts.

November 2024 - Kickbox
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks advises against correcting typos in email addresses in a CRM, suggesting that some users may intentionally provide incorrect addresses. Reaching their proper address could lead to spam complaints and potential exposure to spam traps, as these users never opted into the program.

September 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog advises that correcting email typos in a CRM is generally not recommended without explicit consent from the user, as it could violate privacy regulations. Implementing a double opt-in process is the best approach.

January 2024 - Neil Patel Blog
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that in regulated FinTech scenarios, if an email fails, one should fall back to other channels like SMS, or even paper, for compliance purposes.

January 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that many typoed domains can be phishing domains, therefore checking if the domain has a valid MX record isn't a suitable approach. Instead they would like to filter the top 300 domains or use a form with email and email confirmation fields.

March 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus highlights the importance of data security and privacy regulations (like GDPR) in handling user data. Correcting typos without consent could violate these regulations, emphasizing the need for opt-in confirmation.

September 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from MarketingProfs suggests using progressive profiling where you collect essential information first, and then ask users to confirm their email address later, reducing friction during the initial signup process and enabling typo correction.

April 2023 - MarketingProfs
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange answers that while you can check if an email address has a valid MX record to verify the domain exists, this will not catch typos within the local part (before the @ symbol) and could also falsely validate phishing domains. Therefore, use with caution in a wider method.

July 2021 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from NeverBounce recommends implementing a tiered approach: real-time validation during signup, followed by periodic cleaning of the existing CRM data to identify and address any lingering issues.

September 2021 - NeverBounce
Marketer view

Email marketer from ZeroBounce suggests using an email validation service to detect and correct common typos in real-time, improving data quality and preventing deliverability issues. They also warn of fake and disposable emails.

August 2023 - ZeroBounce

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Experts emphasize the importance of not correcting typos in email addresses, especially in Fintech, due to security risks, potential leaks of PII, and regulatory issues. Typos, particularly those resulting in deliverable mail, pose a significant threat to customer protection. A combination of tools for validating email validity is recommended, including checks for MX records, syntax, and common typos. The issue isn't limited to domain-side typos; problems on the domain side suggest similar problems on the user side.

Key opinions

  • Security Risk: Typos in email addresses, particularly in Fintech, pose a security risk, potentially leaking PII.
  • Regulatory Issues: Correcting typos may flag regulatory issues, especially in the financial sector.
  • PII Leak: Typos leading to deliverable mail are worse because they leak PII.
  • All-side issue: Typos aren't limited to the domain side of the email address, there will be a problem with the user side.

Key considerations

  • Validation tools: Implement a suite of validation tools and checks.
  • Mx record check: Confirm the domain the email came from.
  • Syntax check: Check email conforms to syntax requirements.
  • User side: Consider issues for users who may not be using the correct email themselves.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks emphasizes that typos in email addresses, especially for fintech companies, pose a security risk and a customer protection issue, potentially leaking personal identifiable information (PII). She suggests that typos leading to deliverable mail are worse because they leak PII.

March 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks highlights that one cannot assume that typos only occur on the domain side and/or lead to undeliverable mail. If there are significant problems on the domain side, there would be similar problems on the user side.

May 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds with recommending a combination of tools which are used to check email validity. Using tools which check for MX records, syntax and common typos.

October 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource responds by pointing out it's better to not correct typos in email addresses, especially in financial sectors because this will flag regulatory issues.

January 2025 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Technical documentation emphasizes preventative measures for handling email typos during signup. Confirmed opt-in (Mailchimp) ensures valid addresses and user consent. Real-time validation (Twilio SendGrid) catches typos and invalid formats before they enter the CRM. RFC 5322 specifies email syntax for validation. OWASP highlights input validation techniques for sanitizing user data, preventing typos and security issues. reCAPTCHA (Google) prevents bots from submitting invalid emails, ensuring cleaner data.

Key findings

  • Preventative Focus: The primary focus is on preventing typos from entering the CRM in the first place.
  • Confirmed Opt-in: Confirmed opt-in is essential for validating email addresses and obtaining user consent.
  • Real-time Validation: Real-time validation is crucial for catching typos and invalid formats during signup.
  • Security: Input validation is crucial for sanitizing user data and ensuring the integrity of the data
  • Bot Prevention: CAPTCHA technology prevents bots from submitting invalid or typo-filled email addresses.

Key considerations

  • Implement Confirmed Opt-in: Require users to confirm their email address via a link sent to their inbox.
  • Real-time Email Validation: Use an email validation service to check the validity of email addresses during signup.
  • RFC 5322 Compliance: Ensure email addresses comply with RFC 5322 syntax specifications.
  • Input Validation Techniques: Utilize input validation to sanitise user input and prevent security risks.
  • Implement reCAPTCHA: Use reCAPTCHA to prevent bots from submitting typo filled email addresses.
Technical article

Documentation from RFC 5322 provides the technical specifications for email address syntax, which can be used to validate the format of email addresses during sign-up, helping to identify some types of typos. This can be used in conjunction with other methods.

June 2022 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Google reCAPTCHA informs that using CAPTCHA technology on sign-up forms can help prevent bots from submitting large numbers of invalid or typo-filled email addresses, contributing to cleaner data.

February 2025 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp recommends using confirmed opt-in to ensure email addresses are valid and users have actively agreed to receive communications. They suggest this method prevents typo issues.

February 2022 - Mailchimp
Technical article

Documentation from Twilio SendGrid advocates for real-time email validation during signup to catch typos and invalid formats, preventing incorrect data from entering the CRM in the first place.

October 2023 - Twilio SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) explains input validation techniques. These are essential for sanitizing input data from users to prevent security issues such as typos, invalid characters and injection attacks and help ensure integrity of data.

September 2021 - OWASP