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 was followed by a call with someone calling himself the head of marketing and sales.

Then came the offer letter, accompanied by a detailed PowerPoint deck outlining her assigned role, budget, and performance targets for the first six months. Both parties promptly signed the agreement.

But a week later, during an onboarding meeting, Becker picked up........

© International Business Times