In October 2012 I notified Dish Network billing department by phone to advise the company that my partner of 37 years was deceased and I would like to transfer the account into my name. A Dish Network representative confirmed my name as it should appear on the billing statement and asked for my social security number as the last four digits would act as my security code for verification purposes.
Beginning in November of 2012 I began receiving monthly billing which included my account Number, Account Holder: (My full name), and Service address.
From November 2012 until February 2015 I paid each bill with my personal check. In February 2015, I called Dish Network customer service to cancel all services because of several monthly increases. I was told that I had a refund of $26.08 due to me and it would take approximately three weeks to process. After five weeks of waiting, I called Dish Network to inform them I had never received the check and was told it was still in the system to be processed.
The check arrived in April 2015 payable to the deceased. I called Dish Network to inform them that the check was made out to the deceased. I talked to two Dish Network representatives, the first identified himself as Jameson who informed me that Dish Network would not recognize the relationship and the account was still in the deceased name.
Even though all billing identified me as the account holder, after several minutes of discussion I was transferred to a supervisor who identified himself as Victor, Victor informed me there was nothing they could do and I should take the check and cash it, or take it to my bank and deposit it, (basically asking me to commit fraud) I asked to talk to someone in a higher level of administration than he and he said there was no one that could help me.
After several minutes of discussion I was transferred to the Office of the President. A woman who identified herself as the secretary to the president, Blanca, assured me that this issue could be resolved and she would have a check issued in my name and it would take approximately three weeks to void the first and issue the second.
The second check arrived in June 2015 made out to the deceased. I called Blanca’s office at 1-866-213-5814 Ext 52030 and left a message. Blanca returned my call informing me that she apologized and she would have the second check voided and a third check issued in my name which would take an additional three weeks to process.
Blanca left two voice mails on my phone which I have saved informing me that no check would be issued. I paid the bills for two and a half years out of my checking account, the billing statement clearly identifies me as the account holder and the use of my social security number for account verification validates that the refund should be issued in my name and my name only.
Having been a faithful subscriber to Dish from its inception whereby CEO Charlie Ergin sold the satellite concept door to door and I ended up buying my first receiver etc., directly from Costco, I have had little in the way of conflict with their service. They do answer the phones quickly.
We installed a second system 160 miles north of our regular residence in a cabin which we rarely use but do enjoy T.V. on occasion while there. I had purposely taken three days off my extremely busy schedule to be at the cabin to replace a faulty DVR which was being sent 2nd day air and in fact ended up requiring me to extend my stay another 3 days due to their extreme ineptitude.
Sure I got a lot of apologies and even more pre-scripted, run- around, 1st grade stupidity. It was finally resolved after 6 days and a huge financial loss to me.
When I arrived back home down south, I found that DISH had instructed me falsely about returning the failed DVR entailing another banter session with them resulting in me being responsible for its disposal. More of my time and I suppose money. This go around elicits far less than even a single star.
