diff --git a/src/main/java/net/frozenorb/apiv3/util/EmailUtils.java b/src/main/java/net/frozenorb/apiv3/util/EmailUtils.java
index 6d4aee1..940c828 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/frozenorb/apiv3/util/EmailUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/frozenorb/apiv3/util/EmailUtils.java
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 public class EmailUtils {
 
 	private static final Pattern VALID_EMAIL_PATTERN = Pattern.compile(
-			"^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\\.[A-Z]{2,6}$",
+			// this pattern is a slight modification (remove + as a valid char due to 'duplicate emails') of the standard one
+			"^[A-Z0-9._%-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\\.[A-Z]{2,6}$",
 			Pattern.CASE_INSENSITIVE
 	);
 	private static final HttpClient httpsClient = APIv3.getVertxInstance().createHttpClient(new HttpClientOptions().setSsl(true).setTrustAll(true));