Suspicious data use

[Seriously Jenny]

I'm running ICS 4.0.3 on my SGS2 (GT-i9100M) with Virgin Mobile Canada. According to my data info from Virgin over the last year, I've used approximately 15MB per month. I think I used 25MB one month when I was talking on Vonage. I am almost always connected to Wifi, so I very recently reduced my plan to include only 100MB a month.

As of July 31st, my data seems to have taken on a life of it's own. In the first 24 hours my data usage shows 68MB. After that, it seems to have used another 200MB by August 4th, then flatlines for a week before using yet another half GB. This continues sporadically until I got my bill a few days ago, at which point I disabled all data.

In total, something sucked back about 3.15GB of delicious overage charges. I have contacted my phone company and I am awaiting approval for getting the fees waived, but I am more concerned about what could have caused this. The usage breakdown according to my phone is:

Email - 2.3GB I hardly use email - I get 2-4 a day, and have it set to check once every 4 hours. I do not use my phone for anything work related.
Chrome - 233MB I used Chrome a little bit this month, but the app freezes so I have moved to another browser. This amount of usage is inexplicable.
Android OS - 211MB
Facebook - 126MB Used it the same as every other month, ie. >15MB.
Google Play Store - 116MB Absolutely impossible. I downloaded maybe one app. Maybe.
Internet - 108MB I don't use the stock Internet app.

And then everything else seems normal.

This really wasn't my own usage - I can be very sure I haven't made a mistake, as much of the data is recorded as being used while I was asleep with my Wifi connected. I do have malware protection which is up to date on my phone, and I have been running scans.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? Do you have a preferred malware protection app I can try? Any other suggestions that would allow me to turn my data back on safely?

[greenman]

Always difficult to give a definitive answer, but there are a number of ways that data can be used without you knowing.
And obviously one is keeping Google informed as to your location, others include apps updating automatically, assisted GPS etc.
Having your phone on wifi helps, but even then the data signal can kick in if the wifi connection weakens.
There are reports of mobile data being used even when turned off or disabled.
In the end, you have to go through your phone and un tick any auto updates, change syncing to manual and turn off Google updates.
If still a problem, then turn off 'use packet data' in mobile Settings.
If still a problem go to Access Point Names and temporarily change the settings, as this is your mobile data pathway.
Or live with it

[Seriously Jenny]

All my location and update settings are off.

How would this explain 2.3GB of email usage, when previously I have used perhaps 2MB? This is the same phone I have had for a year. Something has changed to cause this.

[Doomed]

Depends on what's been in the email.

It's going to be hard to define as nearly everything on the phone wants access to the internet.

Try this:

Settings > Data usage > (Menu button) > Restrict background data

Or if your Rooted or willing to Root, download an internet managing app.

Currently the biggest amount an app has used this month is about 70MB for listing to internet radio for a few hours, total so far about 250MB. 500MB to go

[Seriously Jenny]

I just restricted by background data but I'm still too scared to turn my data back on. Apparently this week (before I turned off my data) my phone ate up over 1GB. I never even stream and there were no attachments in my emails! This is insane.

Not currently rooted but I was, and can be again. I'd wasn't aware of data managing apps, thanks... that is the best solution I've heard so far.

I know 1-2GB isn't a lot for most people, but I live in an area with Wifi everywhere and I work from home. I use a little data at the grocery store, on a long car ride, or if I decide to go for a walk. This makes no sense at all. I don't even send email from my phone, I just get a couple newsletters and a couple emails with like 2 lines of text and no attachments from someone I work with. There are bandaid solutions to control whatever is doing this, but nothing should be doing this.

I'm not really satisfied with restricting the problem. I really want to find or at least kill the source. Should I wipe my phone, start from scratch, and see whether it still happens? If it does I am going to lose my mind and tell Virgin they're trying to scam me with fake data charges.

[RichH]

Just add up the data useage reported by your phone during your billing cycle. If it doesn't add up to your bill then Virgin are screwing you !!!

[Stonehouse16]

I upated the software on my S2X via kies air. My normal data usage per month is under 2GB, following my update, my phone mysteriously used 20GB of data in one month!!!! Telus is trying to charge me $600 saying that I used the 20GB of Data. Telus cannot tell me how I used the data but could track the times of the most usage. My phone would use upwards of 1GB at 4am while I was sleeping!

My data tracker on my phone said that I used under 2GB that month, but telus mysteriously found 20GB of Data. But how do you get out of this? My only option is to pay the bill as well as my $333.00 contract buyout and cancellation fee in order to go somewhere else. I just have to hope that the factory reset on my phone prevents this from happening again. Any suggestions? I've already spent over 6 hours on the phone at a Telus store with customer service (or lack thereof) and every other department.

There is no way i used that much data. I don't do tethering or watch netflix or anything like that. I use minimal email, facebook and minimal words with friends.

[Stonehouse16]

did you use kies air to update your software recently? My data usage skyrocketed after I updated mine.

[Doomed]

If I was you, I'd got to Citizen Advice Bureau (CIB, or something similar where you're from) and get some advice about your bill. If your willing to Root your phone, there are ways to stop apps using data.

Check apps (Google, Drop Box) to make sure they're not syncing videos and photos etc.