Verifications.io email leak: how 763 million addresses were exposed
2 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
In early 2019 researchers found an unsecured database belonging to an email-validation service, exposing about 763 million email addresses along with other personal data. Many people were included without ever dealing with the company. Expect more spam and phishing, and check whether your address appears.
What happened
Verifications.io offered bulk email verification to marketers. Researchers discovered that a database holding its data was exposed online without authentication, which meant anyone could access it. The service was shut down afterwards.
Why you may be in it without knowing
People did not sign up to this service. Their addresses had been collected by marketers and uploaded for verification. That is why unexpected breach matches sometimes list companies you have never heard of.
Were you caught up in a major breach?
Old breaches keep circulating for years. Check your email against known breach records for free.
What was in the data
- ✓Email addresses.
- ✓In many records, other details such as names, phone numbers, addresses or dates of birth.
What to do
- ✓Check your email address to see whether it appears in known breach records.
- ✓Change any password you used on the affected service, and anywhere you reused it.
- ✓Turn on two-factor authentication, starting with email and financial accounts.
- ✓Be careful with unexpected messages that mention the service.
- ✓Use aliases for new sign-ups so marketing lists never see your main address.
Frequently asked questions
No password was involved. Do I need to do anything?+
Passwords were not the issue, but expect more spam and phishing. Strengthen your accounts and use aliases.
Can I get my address removed?+
Not once it has circulated. Reduce risk through filtering and good account security.
Why do I get marketing emails I never signed up for?+
Your address may be on lists collected and traded by data brokers.
Stop guessing. Check your email in seconds.
The free Leakill check looks for your email address in known breach records and tells you whether it was exposed. If it was, an optional detailed report lists the incidents, dates, sources, the kinds of data involved and practical next steps. It is a one-off report, not a subscription.
A breach match is a warning signal, not proof that someone has access to your account today. No public database covers every breach, so a clean result lowers risk without guaranteeing safety.