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Dom Littlewood met widow Christine Briars, a university professor at her home in Trowbridge in Wiltshire. Her husband Alan died of stomach and oesophagus cancer in December 2007. He owed £27 on his Capital One credit card when he passed away.

Christine paid off this debt, informed them ofÌýher husband's death and sent in a copy of his death certificate. But the company continued to call and write letters to Alan, chasing the interest and a further charge on his debt (totalling £25).

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Dom's top tip: With credit card companies you really need to check whether they'll accept a photocopy of the death certificate.

The copy you receive from a registrar is an original, certified copy and the recommended price is £7. It will be printed on watermarked paper. The registrar can run off as many copies as you need, but they will cost you for each one.

You can photocopy a death certificate but in order for it to be considered certified again, it would be need to be signed by a professional such as an accountant, doctor, lawyer etc. Or the bank can do it for free by stamping photocopies for you.

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Capital One have now apologised for the distress they've caused Christine and promised to review their procedures.

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More information: , and from the .

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Have you had a similar experience after the death of a loved one? What should be done?