More than anything, this was confusing. Previously to him blocking me, he was making a lot of effort, showering me with compliments and regularly talking about how much he couldn’t wait to meet me in person. I found myself scratching my head as to why he would have suddenly changed his mind. Did he meet someone else? Does he already have a girlfriend? Did I say something to put him off? There was one point when I was even considering if he could have lost his phone.

But ultimately, trying to figure out why a man I never met no longer wants to speak to me is a losing battle because I’ll never know the real reason.

Marie Fraser, a relationship expert and boundary management specialist, explains that digital ghosting can be particularly difficult because without meeting up outside of the online world, one person might be far more invested in the relationship than the other. “It’s might be very easy on a practical level for someone to ghost a person they’ve been messaging and never met if they change their mind for whatever reason,” she says, explaining that many people choose to ghost rather than explain themselves purely because it makes their life easier.

On this occasion, it was pretty easy to pick myself up and move on with my life after being digitally ghosted, but it does leave a lingering doubt in my mind that other men I speak to online might do the same thing.

Digital ghosting: what are the signs and has it happened to you?