February 3, 2000
Web posted at: 2:01 p.m. EST (1901 GMT)

SEATTLE (CNN) -- Alaska Airlines warned Thursday that fraudulent Web sites have been established on the Internet, claiming to solicit donations for families of those killed in the crash of Flight 261.

"We have discovered that there are some Web sites out there that will infect your computer with a virus," said airline spokesman Jack Evans.

"There are other Web sites out there that claim to be memorial funds and ask you for personal information that you should not provide, like your social security number," Evans added.

About a half-dozen such bogus sites currently exist, he said.

Alaska Airlines said those wishing to donate to an official memorial fund should visit the company's own Web site, www.alaskaair.com, which contains information about "benevolent fund-raising efforts for the passengers and crew."

"It's unimaginable that anybody would put a Web site out there or solicit funds at a time where a tremendous tragedy has occurred," Evans said. "I just don't know what could motivate somebody to do something like that."

Flight 261 crashed into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, about 11 miles off Southern California, after the crew got clearance to land the troubled jet at Los Angeles International Airport.

The plane, bound for San Francisco and Seattle, was carrying 88 people -- including the crew.

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