Here is what I found out after trying for hours with many different accounts:
Creating a new account from within the game is what works most reliable.
Do NOT use any preexisting ign/gamespy/whatever accounts.
You can't reuse an old ign login name, but you can reuse your old email address:
1) go to http://www.ign.com/login and - well - login, then change your existing email address e.g. by appending .outdated to it. It doesn't have to be a real email address - check if out - you will still be able to log in to ign.com with that changed address.
2) now your original email is free again. Use it and a *new* login name in the game client to create your crisis2 account
3) you should be able to use this account in game and on mycrisis.com
4) Only if you checked ok to login on game and mycrisis enter any serial codes for multiplayer or to get your promo items.
Best of luck to you all.