Yes, this has been going on since at least the early 2000s. It's really a dumb thing to do for the hiring company, particularly if there is more than a few days of contact. The person they want to hire just assumes they are being ghosted and immediately starts looking for additional opportunities, which equates to more competition for the hiring company.

Had the original company stayed in contact, or it was common practice to stay in contact wether it's a hire or no hire, the hiring companies wouldn't have to deal with the extra competition created by no contact.