I don't know... in theory it's an interesting idea - but it seems a little passive agressive to me.

I'm all for helping people improve their lives, but I bet the recipient of that email would not be thrilled... I'd say few to none of them would do something about their problem as a result of an "anonymous" email.

The email is only anonymous in one direction. Bob now gets to live with the discomfort that someone out there knows he's a gambler.

Feels odd...

Someone will use your site to send Viagra spam.

Maybe it would be helpful to some people, but I think the most effective way to deal with someone who has a gambling problem is to play them a game of poker, and take all their money, thus teaching them that they have a problem.

(I mean an intervention... an anonymous email is too easy for joe-troubled-shmoe to brush off.)

Creating an anonymous e-mail site is just asking for trouble with the law, spam, and anyone else wanting to piss people off. Regardless, its already been done:

http://www.1netcentr...anonymous-email.html

Above is a whole list of anonymous e-mail services. Any one of them could be used for the purpose you are describing.

How are you making money?

perhaps become a portal for treatment centers?

"Send anonymous emails to people you care about if they are having trouble with gambling, drugs etc. Entirely anonymous".

...even not anonymous...one will probably considered as sPAM...even the CHsite referral went pfft how ever good intention we had. =(

i can give you just a hat tip for this...

gee...am getting lost with multiwindows.. i thought i made my comment with this one already....

but anyway thew SPAM issue concerns me too.

ewwww i guess i posted already and seen this window (un updated) and post again.. i need a coffee now.

You can all ready do this.

Also, you can spoof your email address all together.

i think this might offended the person if they are not willing to openly get help they certainly wont take it from emails

I think PR's comment is valid - helping someone who has a problem is not something anyone's going to be ashamed of; having a problem and asking for help is the hard part. Maybe Bob could send an anonymous email to his friends saying that he has a problem and asking for their support? They could then communicate with him via the site to encourage him and get updates on his progress to keep him accountable.

I like the idea. All the above posters are right: you could do this by anonymous e-mail services, but what you want to build delivers a complete, easy to use service which really lowers the burden to help some one out. I really like it, but it needs to be worked out quite right: you'll have a hard time convince some one you're not just invading some one's privacy.

Make money by showing alcohol and casino ads :)

But seriously though... this might be a good tool if this can be coupled with some other services. Maybe appointments can be set up with local addiction therapists and such. It would be nice to not only be able to send a card but send a gift certificate for a session with the addiction expert. Bob, you have a problem, and I want to help, here is where you can start.

You may not have to make money the conventional web way. There is plenty of public health money in the US (and probably other countries) that would pay you to run this service.