http://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/4:2013cv05974/273189
Ripple Labs is a genuine tech startup backed by some of the biggest venture funds in Silicon Valley, including Google Ventures. Actually, to call it a startup is a misnomer, as Ripple had been operating since 2004 (and trademarked the term then).
Ripple Labs references multiple examples where users of Rippln signed up because they thought it's actually Ripple. Ripple Labs believes it had its reputation substantially damaged due to the "sliminess" of Rippln, as some are cautioning people to avoid both.
Rippln (not to be confused wtih Ripple Labs) had used extensively the term "ripple", including the URL 'startmyripple.com', as a chain signup tool where people who sign up are encouraged to create more "ripples" by signing up even more people, with the promise that if people in their ripple buy stuff that they referred / liked, they will share a piece of the commission. However, it has repeatedly made promises that had not been kept, and many in the tech press cautioned "you'll at best earn pennies". A promised "communicator app", promised in March, was not delivered until December. Other apps appear to be relabelled apps from yet some other app venture. Merchandise offered appears to be most fads.
You can find my review of Rippln here: http://kschang.hubpages.com/hub/Investigating-Rippln-what-does-Rippln-do-Who-is-behind-Rippln-Is-Rippln-a-Scam
You can find more full review of Rippln and other developements on Behindmlm.com
(Thanks to Jack on SaltyDroid for the tip)
UPDATE: Ripple Labs is also known as "OpenCoin Inc.", who developed the "Ripple Protocol", a version of "distributed virtual currency exchange" that lets anyone send money with just email. It attempts to address the problem with Bitcoin in that you can't really *use* or exchange Bitcoin (i.e. do useful things with it) without going to one of the exchanges, which seems to be under attack all the time. For example, Mt. Gox had 5 million of their money in the US seized in 2013 for not registering as a money exchanger in the US. OpenCoin's "Ripple Protocol" is supposed to create a distributed exchange that's open/transparent to deal with that, and it's supposed to be currency neutral and difficult to censor.
You can read more about Ripple, OpenCoin Inc / Ripple Labs in this Gigaom special article:
http://gigaom.com/2013/04/12/why-bitcoin-crashed-and-how-ripple-might-avoid-the-same-fate/
UPDATE: Oz has weighed in on the lawsuit with a bit more details on the merits of the various points in the lawsuit.
http://behindmlm.com/companies/rippln/rippln-sued-for-trademark-infringement/
finally. Rippln is fraud and should not be confused with Ripple Labs. Hopefully, the legal system takes swift action. A team of us submitted a SEC inquiry and filed complaints against Rippln.
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