Dear ABC News Fixer: DISH Keeps Issuing My Refund in My Late Husband's Name

April 25, 2013— -- Dear ABC News Fixer: I have a refund from DISH Network that has been in limbo for almost three years. The account was under my husband's name. He passed away from cancer in 2008.

Changing the name on the account after his death would have required me to cancel/restart the service and pay extra fees, so I left it in his name and continued to pay the bills.

After I had to cancel the service because I became unemployed, I received a letter with a check for a refund of about $60. It was in my husband's name, so I was not able to cash it without having to go through some further legal and financial hoops.

I requested the check be re-issued in my name, but they said it was not possible. This was incredibly frustrating, so I told them to just keep the money. About six months later, they issued another check in my husband's name, which just brought back all the frustrations.

I wrote a letter to the CEO, but I never heard back. The only reply was another check in the mail with my husband's name on it.

If DISH Network does not plan to issue a refund to me, I ask that they please stop sending refund checks with my deceased husband's name on them.

- Josefa Price, Fresno, Calif.

Dear Josefa: We've got good news and bad news. The good news is the ABC News Fixer found a human being at DISH Network, and they looked into it and promised to quit sending you checks with your late husband's name on them.

The bad news is they told you you'd need to be appointed the executor of his estate before they could send you a check for the $64.50.

You said it wouldn't be worth the legal hassle and cost to get your 64 bucks.

You're still frustrated, especially since your other accounts were less complicated. We suppose company regulations and common sense don't always line up.

Got a consumer problem? The ABC News Fixer may be able to help. Click here to submit your problem online. Letters are edited for length and clarity.