Brisbane Broncos warn of scam offering fake mascot auditions

The Brisbane Broncos have issued a warning to fans regarding a scam that falsely offers opportunities to audition as the team's mascot in exchange for payment. The National Rugby League (NRL) club confirmed they have been made aware of the fraudulent activity, which is not affiliated with the Broncos in any way.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the club stressed that they "will never request payment for auditions or unsolicited opportunities shared via social media or private message." They are urging supporters to exercise caution, avoid interacting with the scam accounts, and refrain from sharing any personal or financial information. Official communications from the Brisbane Broncos will always originate from their verified website and official social media channels.

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The club will never request payment for auditions or unsolicited opportunities shared via social media or private message.

The Queensland Police Service has been notified of the matter. This warning comes after a previous controversy last year when animal activist group PETA urged the club to retire its live horse mascot, Buck, and exclusively use the costumed mascot. PETA also suggested changing the team name to Brisbane Boomerangs and moving away from imagery such as bucking broncos.

At the time, then-Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy rejected PETA's request, stating that Buck is an "iconic, much-loved and much cared for member of the Broncos family." He affirmed that the club had no plans to retire Buck and would continue to ensure the safety of both the horse and fans during games.

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Buck is an iconic, much-loved and much cared for member of the Broncos family and has been for a very long time. We have no plans to retire Buck, and our game day staff will continue, as we always have, to work with his rider Nat and the stadium to ensure the highest level of safety, for both Buck and our fans in stadia.