Unactivated Android Data Usage - Real or Error
 

I'm not sure if "unactivated" is the correct Android lingo, but...

I setup a prepaid Telus Motorola G (1st Gen, non-LTE) for someone who was going to be in Canada for a wedding only to find that the phone just sitting on my desk charging managed to burn through it's entire balance on data usage without ever being configured. It was just sitting on the "Choose Your Language to Begin" screen.

I went to the Telus website to add a data plan to the line only to find the balance was wiped out with a lengthy list of data transactions, usually about 2MB at a time, but sometimes smaller or inconsequential.

Is this ordinary but stupid behavior or something else either erroneous or dishonest (i.e. SIM cloning)

I believe you will be using data even if the phone is not setup. The Android OS may not be setup, but the SIM card may have already been activated. You should have pull the SIM card out or put it on Airplane mode if you are not using it. 2MB seems quite a bit though. Usually it is more like 2Kb or 1Kb for getting local weather info and such.

You could also be on data roaming too.

Could have been downloading a new firmware update.