I am writing this blog to tell you about a very unfortunate message received on Facebook today. Apparently, a man by the name of Ramshes Dhumon from “Universal Beauty Organization”, an operation out of Venezuela has entered me into a beauty pageant without my knowledge or consent.

In December 2008, I received an email from him claiming that he was responsible for sending me to Uruguay for Miss Atlantico International which was set to take place in January 2009. At that time, I sent him my biography and photos in lieu of a promised plane ticket to the event. At that time, he posted my photos on his Facebook account along with his Venezuelan delegate to promote our arrival to Miss Atlantico. Read our exchange below:

December 22, 2008

Dear Amy.

Greeting from Venezuela.

My name is Ramshes Dhumon, president of Universal Beauty Organization Inc. www.universalbeautyorganisation.tk

I am a friend of Peter, who is looking to the MISS USA for the MISS ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL 2009 Punta del Este Uruguay.

I already have your entry form and my copy of your passport, but I need photos of yourself in high resolution, as a morning vote by Internet competition and need to put on the website ..

I hope your answer

RAMSHES

—–

December 22, 2008

Hi There Ramshes,

I have sent you an email containing a few photos of myself in high resolution.

Thank you!

.amy.

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Fast forward—–> After over 2 weeks of no word, Ramshes sent me the following message:

Jan. 7, 2009

Dear Amy.
I am writing this email that I have a problem with your purchase of airline tickets.
The airline flies from the U.S. TACA is to uruguay and yesterday when I went to buy your air ticket informed me that I can not afford here in Venezuela this passage today and find out I had made impossible. you can buy your air ticket to Uruguay in Uruguay and I will pay the cost of the ticket money? responds quickly to see what solution we have.

God bless you

RAMSHES

——

Jan. 13, 2009
Dear Ramshes,

Please accept my apologies for my late response. I do not conduct business on Facebook and did not check my account for over a week since I just moved.

I sent you an email yesterday to ask if you had purchased the ticket.

Currently, I cannot pay for my airfare because I did not plan for it in my budget.

Regardless, I am completely ready to compete for the pageant and have bought my gowns, jewelry, national gifts, swimsuits, etc… now I am very concerned.

Please email me at the following address:

amyholbrook@gmail.com

to discuss a solution.

If we are unable to find a suitable alternative for the airfare, I will need to discuss coming up with a statement for my press release as to why I was unable to go to the pageant because I have gotten some response from my sponsors and they will want to know the reason I was unable to go.

Thank you for understanding this.

.amy holbrook.

—–

Again, I do not conduct business via Facebook. Online social networking is for friends only. I asked Ramshes to email me because it is clearly unprofessional to arrange business matters on Facebook.

And another thing, I purchased at least $1000 worth of wardrobe, 5 national gifts, and competition jewelry for Miss Atlantico only to find out 2 days before I was set to depart that I would not be going. As a student, I don’t have extra income and I was very regretful that I bought anything for this event.

—–

Jan. 13, 2009

Estimated Amy.
Thank you very much for your note.
I apologize to you but we have trouble to buy your air ticket from uruguay Dominican Republic.
I think it’s better not to participate in this event and we intend to send a top event in dodne have prizes.
where it comes to winning this event there is no cash prize.

—–

Let me clarify that I never compete in a pageant for a cash prize, if any. The experience of traveling to another country, learning about her culture, and competing for an international title are some of my life’s richest experiences. I was offended that anyone would even offer such a tactless remark an chose not to respond to his message whatsoever.

—–

This is the Facebook message I received today from the Miss Tourism International Pageant in Malaysia:

“Hello Amy,

I’m Irene from Miss Tourism International organisation, Malaysia. Ramshes submitted your name and entry form for the 2008 world final and requested for sponsorship on your return air-ticket, which we agreed and moneies were sent to him via Western Union. Unfortunately, he did not keep his promise and you were not present. This is not a good practice, neither is honest. Maybe there is some unforeseen circumstances that he was unable to deliver his promise, and you are not able to attend the contest. In that case, it would be right to return the monies. I hope you understand the situation and do the right thing.

Thank you.”

—–

Hi Irene,

Thank you for writing me. What pageant was this for? MTI in Malaysia?

I was set to attend the Miss Atlantico pageant in Uruguay during January 2009. I do not know Ramshes of Venezuela personally but he was supposed to pay for my airfare to that event but never did. I was contacted by Peter Hayward of Norway to attend the pageant in Uruguay and he regretted setting me up with Mr. Ramshes because he does not keep his word and is unreliable. I have not heard from either of them since mid January 2009.

I know nothing about your pageant whatsoever as you can tell from my blog. I am a student and I have a new job so traveling anywhere would have been impossible for me.

This is the first I have heard about this pageant and it sounds like Ramshes is running a scam. He is using my name without my knowledge.

I will post a blog about this on my website to clear my name and yours although everyone should know about Mr. Ramshes and his illegal practices.

Did you send him money? Please let me know. (Read: I see now that MTI did send him money although I’m not clear on the amount)

Email me amyholbrook@gmail.com or call me if necessary.

—–

I’ll keep you updated on the progress of this matter. Does anyone know if this pageant is part of the Miss Tourism Queen International Organization? I do not know the answer to that but it would sure be ironic…