Then why did he mention it (their credentials)? It has literally zero relevance in this case. Maybe they were trying to show off?
It's relevant because it shows they are not newbie on the platform and are unlikely to have misbehave in some capacity to warrant a full deactivation. It adds credibility to their story.
“This isn’t just an email address; it is my core digital identity”
If he doesn’t think like that, then why does he act like it?
There is if you want to blame the victim and/or work for Apple.