diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 1d44286e25..fa6a18a25b 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ POSTGRES_PASSWORD=changethis
 
 SENTRY_DSN=
 
+# Enrichr (optional — blocks disposable emails on signup)
+# Get a free key at https://enrichrapi.dev (1,000 calls/month free)
+ENRICHR_API_KEY=
+
 # Configure these with your own Docker registry images
 DOCKER_IMAGE_BACKEND=backend
 DOCKER_IMAGE_FRONTEND=frontend
diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/users.py b/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
index 35f64b626e..8e2bde816b 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 )
 from app.core.config import settings
 from app.core.security import get_password_hash, verify_password
+from app.enrichr import is_disposable_email
 from app.models import (
     Item,
     Message,
@@ -143,10 +144,17 @@ def delete_user_me(session: SessionDep, current_user: CurrentUser) -> Any:
 
 
 @router.post("/signup", response_model=UserPublic)
-def register_user(session: SessionDep, user_in: UserRegister) -> Any:
+async def register_user(session: SessionDep, user_in: UserRegister) -> Any:
     """
     Create new user without the need to be logged in.
     """
+    # Block disposable/throwaway email addresses before touching the database.
+    # Requires ENRICHR_API_KEY in .env — skipped silently if not set.
+    if await is_disposable_email(user_in.email):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=422,
+            detail="Disposable email addresses are not allowed. Please use your real email.",
+        )
     user = crud.get_user_by_email(session=session, email=user_in.email)
     if user:
         raise HTTPException(
diff --git a/backend/app/enrichr.py b/backend/app/enrichr.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..72ae170791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/enrichr.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""
+Enrichr — email validation utility
+Blocks disposable addresses before they hit your database.
+
+Setup: add ENRICHR_API_KEY to your .env
+Get a free key at https://enrichrapi.dev (1,000 calls/month free)
+"""
+
+import os
+from typing import Any
+
+import httpx
+
+_BASE = os.getenv("ENRICHR_BASE_URL", "https://enrichrapi.dev")
+
+
+async def validate_email(email: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+    """
+    Validate an email address via Enrichr.
+
+    Returns None if ENRICHR_API_KEY is not set (graceful degradation).
+    Returns None on any network error so signup is never blocked by a failed API call.
+
+    Response fields:
+        valid (bool)       — passes format + MX check
+        format_ok (bool)   — RFC-5322 format valid
+        mx_ok (bool)       — domain has MX records
+        disposable (bool)  — known throwaway provider
+        normalized (str)   — lowercased, plus-removed canonical form
+        domain (str)       — email domain
+    """
+    key = os.getenv("ENRICHR_API_KEY")
+    if not key:
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=5) as client:
+            resp = await client.post(
+                f"{_BASE}/v1/enrich/email",
+                headers={"X-Api-Key": key},
+                json={"email": email},
+            )
+        if not resp.is_success:
+            return None
+        return resp.json().get("data")
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
+async def is_disposable_email(email: str) -> bool:
+    """
+    Returns True if the email is from a known disposable/throwaway provider.
+    Safe to call in API routes — returns False on any network error.
+
+    Usage:
+        if await is_disposable_email(user_in.email):
+            raise HTTPException(status_code=422, detail="Disposable email addresses are not allowed.")
+    """
+    result = await validate_email(email)
+    return result.get("disposable", False) if result else False