> What makes you think the kind of reference checks the article is talking about happens after an offer has been made and accepted?

It talks about checking the references given by the candidate in the same breath, there's a certain spatial locality there. Also whatever vagueness there is in the article does not open up the door for unqualified bitching.

> Except if you don't know the person you are talking to then how can you judge the accuracy of what they have to say when they provide a reference?

Using social skills.