instead of 'try to send an email to that address' you can, strip the domain part, lookup that domain for MX record, establish an SMTP sesssion and issue a "RCPT TO" or "VRFY" command and wait for a '200 OK' answer. Less spammy.
HtH L*
There are no rules, there are no thumbs..
Reinvent the wheel, then learn The Wheel; may be one day you reinvent one of THE WHEELS.