It’s a fact of life: You can’t really do business anymore without email. Another fact of life: Your chances of an email causing you problems are pretty high, especially if you don’t pay much attention to what you send out.

For this contest, we want to know how email got you in trouble. Send us funny stories about your worst email guffaw and the lesson you learned. Keep details about people and places non-specific. Classic examples include:

• Hitting "reply all" to disastrous effect
• Accidentally sending sensitive information to the entire company
• Complaining about someone in an email, then absent-mindedly sending it to them

[Read this month’s related story, How Come You Don't Email Me Anymore?!? ]

If we select your entry, we’ll send you a free $200 gas card! Don’t worry about whether you know how to write. Our editors will check for grammar and tighten the writing. The most important thing is to "write from the heart" and not worry about style.

Click here to see the winner of our last contest, Your Weirdest Job.

Who Is eligible?

This contest is open to all U.S. residents, unless otherwise restricted in these rules. No purchase is necessary. This contest is sponsored by A.D.A.M., Inc. Void where prohibited. A.D.A.M., Inc. employees and non-U.S. residents are not eligible.

How do you submit your entry?

There are 2 ways to submit your story -- by email or regular mail.

To submit by email:

• Send an email with the following subject line: My Worst Email Guffaw
• Include the following in the email: a short description of how email got you in trouble and the lesson you learned; your first and last name, email address, street address, and a phone number where we can reach you.
• Email your entry to: contest@adamcorp.com

To submit by regular mail:

• Include a short description of how email got you in trouble and the lesson you learned; your first and last name, street address, and a phone number where we can reach you.
• Mail to: Editorial Director, My Worst Email Guffaw, A.D.A.M. Inc, 1600 Riveredge Parkway, Suite 100, Atlanta GA, 30328

We will use your phone number to contact you in the event you win. Your address is needed to mail the prize. We will NOT use your phone number or address for any other reason.

All entries must be submitted by August 31, 2008.

How will the winner be selected and notified?

We will pick one winner. The individual who sends the winning submission will receive a free $200 gas card. (We’ll contact you and find out which gas company you use most before sending the card.) The winning entry will be selected based on the following criteria:

1. Your entry was received by the deadline.
2. You include a short description of how email got you in trouble.
3. You clearly explain the lesson you learned.

The A.D.A.M. editorial team will determine which entry best meets these criteria, and our decisions are final. A.D.A.M. will mail the winner an affidavit of eligibility. Upon receipt of the affidavit, A.D.A.M. will mail your prize to the address provided.

Copyright & Permission

Upon submission, the content of your entry becomes solely the property of A.D.A.M., Inc. By submitting an entry, you give A.D.A.M. permission to use the content in any of our products at any time. We reserve the right to alter the content for grammar and additional editing or tightening. You will remain anonymous. We will NOT use your full name in any of our products. We will use first name and last initial.