I had to look up the history of background checks before the age of the information super highway, because I had no clue.
According to the internet, background checks weren't really a thing until the late 70s/early 80s, so TPR may have fallen through the cracks. I believe checking references and credentials would have been the process back then. But detecting fraud only worked *if* the hiring company picked up the phone and called the references and verified the credentials. So if TPR said I'm Bob Evans, here's my electrician's license, you can verify with XYZ state’s board of licensing, and here's a reference letter from my former employer (all in Bob's name), they could have confirmed those things were valid or not. But if they didn't also ask for photo ID, or take fingerprints, which, I don't think the manufacturing industry did unless working with the government, they'd have no way of knowing TPR was using an alias. And if everything else under Bob's name could have checked out, they most likely would have taken TPR’s word for it he was Bob Evans. And that's if they even bothered to check the references or credentials.
What I'm curious about is if he simply pulled the name Bob Evans out of the air or if he actually knew an electrician by that name and stole his identity.
If I’m mistaken about any of this, please feel free to correct it.
On a side note, my first job was in 1982. I don't recall having to prove my identity to obtain it. I just filled out an application, had an interview and was hired. The only info I needed was my name, address, DOB, and SSN, all of which, for all they knew, could have been my older sister's. Other than my social security card, I didn't have any other ID at the time.