Is it normal to pay a fee or bitcoin to allow payment verification for an international payment?

[rainydays2662]

I am receiving a payment, but it is pending and has gotten stuck. It says that for me to receive the payment, I must pay in bitcoin. Is this safe? Also is it likely to work? Thank you

[rainydays2662]

Please help, is this a scam?

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@rainydays2662 

It's a scam.  PayPal takes their fee(s) automatically from your incoming payment(s) and deposits the rest to your PayPal account if the sender really sent payment. This sender did not really pay. If you do not see a record of payment in your account right now, you have not been paid. Even if the payment is subject to a PayPal hold, you’ll still see record of payment in your account.

They are trying to scam you of $200 in btc and more, if they can. Do not pay it. If you do, they’ll do a disappearing act, leaving you sitting there waiting and waiting for payment or going broke because they’ll keep asking for more money.