Skip to main content

Matias F. Barenstein

Economist

Bureau, Office or Division

Consumer Protection

Email Address

mbarenstein@ftc.gov

Selected Publications

"Economics at the FTC: The Google-DoubleClick Merger, Resale Price Maintenance, Mortgage Disclosures, and Credit Scoring in Auto Insurance," with M. Baye, D. Holt, P. Ippolito, J. Lacko, J. Leary, J. Pappalardo, P. Pautler, M. Vita, Review of Industrial Organization, 2008.
"Credit-Based Insurance Scores: Impacts on Consumers of Automobile Insurance," 2007.
"A Monthly Struggle for Self-Control? Hyperbolic Discounting, Mental Accounting, and the Fall in Consumption Expenditures between Paydays," with D. Huffman, Institute for the Study of Labor - IZA Discussion Paper, 2004.
"Fiscal Decentralization and Governance: A Cross-Country Analysis," with L. de Mello, G. T. Abed and S. Gupta (eds.), Governance, Corruption & Economic Performance, International Monetary Fund, 2002.

Selected Presentations

"Credit-Based Insurance Scores," Symposium on Credit Scoring and Credit Reporting - Suffolk Law School. Boston, MA (2012)

Education

University of California, Berkeley

PhD Economics

2004

Fields of Interest

Econometrics
Consumer Credit
Insurance Markets
Household Finance
Risk Modeling

Professional Experience

Economist
Federal Trade Commission
2004-Present

Has "Matias F. Barenstein" contacted you?

Important: Matias F. Barenstein will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. FTC employees will not ask you for personal or financial information, or call to notify you that you’ve been a victim of identity theft. If someone says they’re from the FTC and demands money, they’re a scammer. Don’t pay them or give them any personal information.

Learn more about How to Avoid Government Impersonation Scams

If you have been targeted by an illegal business practice or scam, contact your local law enforcement authorities, and report it to the FTC.

Report to the FTC

Join us at the FTC!

View our open positions