How to regain access to a locked Apple Account used for FCP purchases?

When Apple locks an Apple Account (formerly known as Apple ID) it’s usually for suspected fraud. It’s almost impossible to get Apple to unlock it as you have discovered by their response.

If your Apple Account is locked, not active, or disabled - Apple Support

Read this article and shudder at the thought

https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/12/13/locked-out-how-a-gift-card-purchase-destroyed-an-apple-account

According to various posts, Apple may permanently lock accounts for reasons (very broadly outlined in section VII-B of Legal - iCloud - Apple ). If it isn’t apparent, contact Apple and ask if that is the situation, but don’t expect them to tell you why. Something is taking place that Apple is interpreting as account misuse. You will have to see if your activities could be construed—rightly or wrongly—as meeting any of Apple's conditions in the legal article.

We're not allowed to speculate as to reasons why Apple might have locked the account but you may wish to consider your statements "Not a business account, just a regular AppleID." and "my company Macs".

Unfortunately the loss of an account can also entail loss of access to equipment. In this situation Apple can completely reset a device if a person can provide sufficient evidence of valid ownership. Read the requirements and steps for an Activation Lock support request at: https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support and links at the bottom right for the type of service requested. Apple says they may require "proof of purchase documentation” and that you need “proof of ownership documentation”, but does not detail what currently constitutes proof other than it “must include the product serial number, IMEI or MEID.” User reports on this community indicate that typically Apple will ONLY accept an original receipt issued by Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller. Presumably this is the only kind Apple can authenticate against fraud since Apple is not involved in third party sales. Apple recommends that you "Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device" --> Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device - Apple Support

If Apple resets the device this will give you access to the device but won't restore access to the account used to lock it. There is nothing that can be done to expedite an Activation Lock request.

I don't see where it says it couldn't be escalated to a human. In fact it does mention talking with Apple staff, not that they will tell you much. Apple is very secretive about its anti-fraud and abuse measures, even to the extent that they will not tell you anything much about closing an account. This is frustrating I know, but it also understandable because the more details they provide then the more the deliberate abusers (they have no idea of knowing if what you did was intentional or not) learn about what measures they need to circumvent.

Uh, that support person is giving you some incorrect information in places, or you misunderstood what they were advising.

That is the page for Activation Lock removal request service (and that URL you provided me renders it in Russian, I think). That will wipe the device entirely and let you use the device with a new account. As I said before, it will not restore the account. I also think if you try to restore a wiped device with a backup made when it had a now-locked account on it, you will find the device gets locked again. I don't know how many times Apple will reset it for you if you keep on doing that, so I wouldn't even try to start with.

The account is locked, so basically the old account and everything done with it is history except for things kept outside the account. At least the equipment can still be used if you can get Apple to reset it for use as a brand new piece of equipment with a brand new account.

Sorry to hear this happened. Scammers, thieves, abusers and the populace's desire to use devices for things requiring security are forcing tech people to introduce pretty strict measures. Apple has pretty rigid ways of handling this, though I can understand that with millions (if not billions) of accounts it is just easiest to stick to strict methods of handling suspicious account use.

I personally use my account for very little. I only have one purchased app, which I purchased directly from the vendor. Apple has never seen my credit card. I have no balance in my account. The only apps I use on my iPhone are entirely free ones. I only use the 5GB free iCloud which has nothing that isn't already on my external hard drive. So basically if I lost my account it would be a nuisance but not catastrophic.

Have to go to another meeting right now but…

Good October, 2024 compilation of Apple small business resources, by Community contributor brbo —> How do you set up an Apple Business accou… - Apple Community

I have seen hundreds of activation lock issues posted on this forum but not a single one saying it got an account working again. The account is locked. If you reload your computer with things referring to the account then they will connect with Apple's servers which will say no-go because it knows the account is locked. It's like you saying you have a credit card for an account that no longer exists. You can try using the card but once the vendor contacts the card company they will be told the account is closed. You're fortunate the equipment wasn't using the account that purchased the software (in fact, that is something non-standard…; that and the fact that you had multiple versions running?)

I have no idea how Apple works behind the scenes but you were probably doing something that looked suspicious to Apple even if it was above board. Unfortunately their system is pretty unforgiving but that's the way it is now.

One of the links in the link I provided has a way to contact Apple's business department. I would start there.

That dev eventually got his account back because he knew enough people and made enough noise to get the attention of Apple’s “executive team”, whatever that is. As for us peasants?