I received this message from paypal that a buyer sent me payment and I need help

[ashjefferyglyde]

I'm unsure it is a scam, but the email was asking me this

"

You have a pending fund of $1,600.00 from your buyer **

We would like to inform you again that the payment sent from** not reflected in your PayPal account due to our terms and policy to confirm the gift cards from you so that we would be able to credit your PayPal Account because your money was place on pending by us for security reason.

What to Do Next
------------------------------ -----

You are to send the gift cards pictures & receipt to us for verification, so as to secure Buyers purchase as well as you. Fund has been deducted from ** and shall be credited into your PayPal account ** immediately after shipment is confirmed by our management as Gumtree/PayPal terms to verify the Gift Cards Information from you due to Buyer's non-delivery reports. Below are requested shipping details and you are require to send the item through  DHL  Express Delivery.

Then After following the instructions 

The buyer told me $1800 was removed from his PayPal account instead of $1600 and the money is already loading into your account but you have to send the $200 to me before PayPal can release the total funds of $1800 with an immediate effect. So you have to get another $200 gift cards in the morning and send it to me and also send it to PayPal immediately so they can release $1800 to you. 

"We are to confirm to you that we have received additional payment of $200.00 USD from the buyer of your item and the total money deducted from the buyer's account is $1,800.00 USD. which is pending to be credited into your account.  You might not be able to view the current status of the transaction in your PayPal account recent activities or access the funds in your account until the transaction is complete and before you can complete the transaction you have to  send the the item to the information below and get back to us with the gift card scratch as proof , Once we confirm the gift card details from your account will be credited instantly, We have confirmed the payment from the buyer of your item and the fund have been deducted from the buyer account. We advice you to proceed with the shipment and get back to us with the gift card as proof. Thanks for using PayPal"

[mgracehoau]

I am also having this issue. Is it even legit to ask to buy a gift card and send a picture then they will release the payment.

[kernowlass]

@mgracehoau 

You never pay any upfront fee as a seller.

Ignore scammers that send fake Paypal emails telling you that you need to pay an upfront fee to verify/upgrade/or any other reason to 'accept' a payment.

You would certainly never have to send funds via another payment processor/bitcoins/ or tokens/vouchers of any sort.

Any fee is auto deducted by Paypal at the same instant the remainder of the payment is credited to your Paypal account balance.

No funds in your balance = you have not yet been paid, even pending/held payments will still show in your Paypal account activity.