I normally don’t point out the crazy offers I get in the mail, but the Black Visa card offer I received  today is so inane, I have to make an exception.

Of course, first they have to butter me up with telling me I’m pre-qualified, only 1% of US residents get to qualify.
Here are the ONLY tangibles in this offer for which they want me to pay…  wait for it…. $495 a year:
- 13.24% interest which goes to 30.24% if I make a late payment, or my credit worthiness changes, and it will stay there indefinitely.
- only 23 days after the end of the billing cycle to make a payment.  Hey, aren’t most credit cards 30 days?
- an interest charge never lower than $2.00
- a late payment fee of $39 unless my state laws say it can’t be more than $15.
- 24-hour concierge service, which means I get to use the phone to call someone to go buy stuff for me beyond my control, and charge me more for the privilege.
- VIP Airport Lounge Access (I’ve been to this hotel before — it’s only SOME airport lounges, subject to the rules of the airline, and never in the places you actually travel to.)
- a black (patent pending) carbon card.  What the heck is that? a black plastic card? Something that calculates my carbon footprint?
- luxury gifts! but no indication of what these so-called luxury gifts are.

That’s it?!   That’s all I get for my $495 a year?

Now even if there are other benefits, wouldn’t it make some sense to tell me what they are?

The next time I see someone with one of these black cards, I will try not to laugh.