iMessage Registration error with ML - used beta with Lion OK

Had this with a user yesterday. I'd never seen or heard of it in over a decade of IT support (much of that with Apple machines and their users) and initially feared some sort of weird phishing attack. Finally, we called Apple and when the tech on the phone hadn't heard of it, either, those fears grew. She wanted to ARA in and "see for herself" so we did and she was still flummoxed. Went to consult with a supervisor (we saw the mouse moving on screen over the verification code as linked in the OP's question) and eventually she came back on line to say she now knew what it was.

She asked for the user's security answers, had us read off the 12 digits, said "it might take up to 24 hours to go into effect" and signed off. Fortunately, FaceTime worked immediately, no wait needed.

I'm still confused as to why it needed a personal intervention, however. Seems like Apple could automate that pretty easily if they wanted us to verify our accounts.

I recevied this error today. I had un-registered my Apple ID within iMessage on my iPhone and iPad (since I had upgraded to iOS 6), and then in iMessage on the Mac (Mountain Lion) and tried to re-add it. That's when I got the message. I called the AppleCare number. The first person I got to wanted to charge since my Macbook was no longer under warranty. I don't think she was support, just the person who determines who to route the call to, so I told her it was an iCloud issue so she would put me in touch with someone. It may also work saying you have problems with Mountaion Lion since the recording said recent software purchases were covered.

When I talked to the second person, he had heard of the error and just needed to get me to the right person. That person entered the code and I was then able to immediately log into iMessage. From what I've read and what they told me this is just a protection in case your ID is registered on multiple devices (or it thinks it is).

Call Apple Care get any rep on the phone and ask them to transfer you to the "Account Security" department. This occurs from time to time if you activate the more secure "Two-Step Verification" on your Apple ID.

Once you get a rep from that department over the phone they'll ask you to goto http://appleid.apple.com login (you'll need one of your iOS devices with you), "Generate Temporary Support PIN" read the pin to them. Than tell them to enter the 12 digit code iMessage gave you against your Apple ID.

Once all this is done you can sign in to iMessage on you Apple device, with your Apple ID and password. It's not as convenient but it's more secure and I've only seen it once since I've activated "two-step verification".

I had the same problem, and based on what blee4 said, I called in.

My Mac Pro is an older model in which Apple Care has expired some time ago, so I was a little unnerved by being told by the automated system that I might be charged a one time fee. When I got a person, I simply told him it was an "Account Security" problem, and that I had a 12 digit verification code for my iMessage. He just asked what it was, and told me I was good to go.

Apparently it's part of a new security system they are putting into effect, if I understood him correctly.