A phone and e-mail scam apparently is causing people to think that the Butler County court is demanding payments.

Tom Holman, deputy court administrator, said Thursday afternoon that a few people had called the court administration office reporting that they had received phone calls or e-mails asking for money. He said that the caller or e-mailer demands the money be sent to a post office box or else someone would come after them.

He said that the calls and messages apparently were nonspecific about who was demanding the money, but said the people who called his office thought that it was court administration asking for payment for a fine.

Holman said court administration sends notices of required payment by mail — never by phone or e-mail. He also said that the court would not ask for the money to be mailed to a post office box.