Guides
Can I use a bought or scraped email list for cold email?
In Australia, Ireland and the Netherlands, a bought or scraped list is not proof of consent, and you carry the burden of proving it.
In Germany and Spain a published address isn't consent, and in Italy the Garante fined a company for emailing addresses from a public list. For the other countries our material doesn't cover lists, so check each address against its guide.
Checked on 2 November 2026
Check an address
The verdict will appear here.
Country by country
Australia
A bought list gives you no evidence that the recipient consented, and you remain responsible for consent. Consent can't be inferred from publication alone, and senders in Australia are banned from using address-harvesting software or harvested lists (section 22).
- Spam Act 2003 (Cth), section 16(5), Compilation No. 10 (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Australia guide
Ireland
Bought or scraped lists of named people need consent, and the onus of proving it is on you. A scrape can't show the address is a work address used mainly for the person's business.
- S.I. No. 336/2011 (Irish ePrivacy Regulations), Regulation 13(1) (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Ireland guide
Netherlands
A purchased list is not proof of consent, and the ACM expects you to be able to prove consent for five years. A scraped address shows neither consent nor an address designated for commercial offers.
- Telecommunicatiewet, artikel 11.7 lid 1 (geldend van 15-08-2026) (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Netherlands guide
Germany
A published address doesn't count as consent, and prior express consent is needed for businesses too.
- German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG), section 7(2) no. 2, English translation (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: Germany guide
Spain
An address published on a website is not authorisation (AEPD resolution E/01853/2015).
- LSSI, article 21.1; AEPD resolution E/01853/2015 (checked on 2 November 2026)
More: Spain guide
Italy
In 2023 the Garante fined a company 10,000 euros for emailing addresses from a public list and said an opt-out link made no difference.
- Privacy Code (d.lgs. 196/2003), article 130(1) and (2); Garante guidelines of 4 July 2013, doc. web 2542348 (checked on 2 November 2026)
More: Italy guide
United Kingdom
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: United Kingdom guide
United States
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: United States guide
Canada
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: Canada guide
France
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: France guide
Latvia
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: Latvia guide
United Arab Emirates
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
Egypt
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: Egypt guide
Qatar
Our material for this country doesn't answer this question. See the country guide.
More: Qatar guide
For developers
curl https://precleared.dev/api/v1/check \
-H "Authorization: Bearer pc_live_..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"recipient_email": "jane@example.co.uk",
"sender_country": "GB",
"pitch": "Bookkeeping software for small firms",
"address_source": "published",
"company_number": "01234567",
"recipient_country": "GB"
}'Over MCP, call contact_check with the same fields at https://precleared.dev/mcp.
Common questions
Can I use a bought email list in Australia?
A bought list doesn't show that anyone consented to hear from you, and you remain responsible for consent.
Can I use a bought list in Ireland?
Not for named people. You'd need their consent, and the onus of proving it is on you.
Does an opt-out link make a public list acceptable in Italy?
No. In 2023 the Garante fined a company for emailing addresses from a public list and said an opt-out link made no difference.
Country guides
Other questions
Decision support with sources, not legal advice.