How about this gimmick:
Received an offer for a pre-Approved Gold Preferred Rewards Card (I already have a regular card) - with a Fee Free first year. This card has a normal $125/year fee. When I filled in the short formed application, I noticed at the bottom that the Fee was $150/year. What they did was waive the 1st year fee, but added $25 to each year thereafter. I was so disturbed that I discontinued accepting the offer. This and other recent actions have me believing that American Express is quickly loosing it's classy luster and actually believes their name alone is worth paying for.