I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess that it's because they want to build or rebuild their credit, and would not be eligible for credit cards otherwi

I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess that it's because they want to build or rebuild their credit, and would not be eligible for credit cards otherwise, even at a rate of 28% with unsecured credit. For example, maybe they have recently become bankrupt, or their credit score is really bad, or they have no credit history, so the only way they can get a credit card is with a secured card. This would allow them to build positive credit history in a way that paying with cash or a debit card would not.