Forget airline miles, cash back, rewards points, or any of that rubbish. American Express wants you to remember that the best way to take full advantage of your card is to carry a balance.

Over the weekend, the above e-mail popped up in the inboxes of a few Consumerist readers, all of whom seem to be confounded as to why American Express would think to advertise the most basic function of a credit card as a way of “taking full advantage” of the product.

We could understand if this was some new announcement about the classic American Express charge card, which doesn’t allow customers to carry a balance, but it’s for the company’s Blue cards. Anyone who has one of these cards already knows they can carry a balance.

“If you don’t know this basic fact about the card in your wallet, you shouldn’t be allowed to have a credit card,” writes Consumerist reader Dave.

“Apparently the ability to carry a balance and get charged interest at 17.99% is a perk I should be using,” said Kamil. “I logged in and paid my balance in full — early — just to spite them.”

“What they don’t tell you about the family in this photo is that they are walking shoeless on the beach because they have lost their house and are living under the pier,” writes Shelby.

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