Mobile Excess Data Usage - Unexplained 8gb used in 3 days??!!

[Toomey]

@Dcwdcw are you able to confirm if the data usage is from downloads or uploads? Typically when I see high Google Photo usage it's due to automatic cloud back ups

In regards to the automatic data top-ups, this will be a feature of your plan. Optus offers Prepaid Plans if you wish to avoid this and only pay for data before using it.

[Dcwdcw]

Thanks for your reply.

I have no idea whether it is uploads or downloads, but it only seems to have occurred on the one day and has been OK since I shut down all running apps and restarted the phone. It hasn't happened before in over 18 months of using this phone & Optus, so I assume some rogue app was running in the background. I'm just confused as to why it is identified as Google Photos and Skype when neither app is on the phone.

I'll probably just leave it there as things are back to normal.

As for automatic data top-ups, there ought to be a setting that allows the customer to determine whether Optus should be allowed to supply extra data at additional cost. I would much rather that data be simply shut off if I exhaust the monthly limit than be subject to extra charges that could multiply into a significant cost in an uncontrollable way before I even realise there is a problem. Regulators should ensure that consumers are able to control costs in this way, but as usual are falling down on the job.

As for Pre-Paid, the only reason I am with Optus at all (let alone pre-paid) is that I need it to get the Premier League football. Don't get me started on how that monopolistic practice was ever allowed.

Anyway, thanks again.

[EllieJohnson78]

Hi, I know your original post was posted last year, but did you find a solution to this problem? I've had exactly the same thing happen over the last week. After never having this issue in the past, not having changed any settings on my iphone. I'm stumped 😞 Neither Optus or Apple can shed any light and have told me to just turn data off, but it's still happening 😞

[JA20]

The exact same thing has happened to me the last week/ I have 100gb of data, and have never once gone over. I have been at home hotspotting for work but have been for three months. No change. Now this week I have used it all in a few days? Chatting to consultants via Facebook messenger to get details as the app does not work and there is no phone number. My bill will be over $200 for no discernible reason.
I have gone in and looked at my useage and turned off all background app refresh’s. Any other help would be great as I simply cannot afford $200 monthly bills!

[Dcwdcw]

Sorry mate, can't really remember other than it hasn't happened since. Might well have been iCloud syncing photos (seems to ring a bell). Good luck.

[DanJ]

You are not paranoid.

I have had a similar thing occur. I did not plug in or use my device for several months.  When I did plug it in (it is a prepaid USB dongle) it had no data left on it - yet the last time I looked there was at least 70GB if not more. There were several messages saying my data was running out - which I saw after the event because I did not plug it in or use it during those times.

When I contacted Optus they told me it had been used during the periods I had NOT been using it - one site that was supposedly visited was Highwinds.  I do not have anything to do with Highwinds (not knowingly, anyway). The other sites were Wordpress and social networking - but I had not been using the dongle for months, so I can only assume someone has accessed the sites I visited through Optus profile or dongle data somehow. 

A search says Highwinds are some sort of tech firm - so it could be that scammers are using Highwinds to steal your data or tap into your account - and check all of your social accounts, blogs etc so that it looks like it is coming from you, but it is them spying or something. 

I know that  C-h-i-n-a has been visiting my Wordpress blog site every day when there is no new blogs - and they are not reading the blogs, just the front page. So perhaps they are stealing your data to make it seem as if it is you that is using it, but really they are the ones who are paranoid and stealing information.  The device is a Huawei device.

This is very concerning and something needs to be done. That was a lot of data.