After a series of interviews, Nicole Becker was ecstatic to receive a job offer from a sportswear brand. But like many Americans navigating a tough job market, she was soon confronted with a sobering reality — the recruiter was a scammer.

From fake job listings to fraudsters posing as real recruiters, employment scams are exploding online — fueled by a cooling labor market and a boom in generative AI that experts say has made these schemes more sophisticated than ever.

In July, a purported Chinese brand offered Becker — a 37-year-old based in Oregon — a coveted role to lead global communications after an elaborate and legitimate-looking recruitment process that stretched over two weeks.

There were no red flags after an initial online interview with a supposed human resources official wa

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