Rafe Mazer

Rafe Mazer works with CGAP's Policy Team on applying behavioral research to consumer protection and financial inclusion. For more than five years he has been designing and leading behavioral research projects with policymakers, providers and donors to help understand how our behaviors impact financial decisions and outcomes.

Research issues Rafe has explored include: Does digital delivery credit change how we borrow and save? Why do financial sales staff sometimes give the right advice, and others times mislead consumers? Do consumers really care about their data privacy in financial inclusion? Why do some consumers choose to complain about a problem, while others remain silent?

This research has been used to develop a range of financial inclusion solutions, including interactive SMS for mobile savings and credit, key facts statements and disclosure regulations, complaints handling regulations, data disclosure messaging, and regulations for consumer protection in digital financial services. He has led research in markets including Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, the Philippines, and Tanzania.

By Rafe Mazer

Research

Incorporating Consumer Research into Consumer Protection Policy Making

This Focus Note describes CGAP's experience to date gathering qualitative and quantitative information directly from low-income consumers to inform financial consumer protection policy.
Blog

What Does Research Tell Us about Consumer Protection?

Recent behavioral research on financial decision-making has demonstrated how we often rely on imperfect information and limited options to decide things like which bank has the best terms, whether we should save now and buy later, or maybe turn that extra cash into an investment.
Blog

What’s in a Word? Maybe Financial Decisions

Have we ever really evaluated the impact of details as minute—yet apparently impactful—as using “months” versus a specific date on consumer understanding and decision-making?
Blog

How Many “Plus-es” Can We Add to “Microfinance ++?”

Many MFIs that want to increase their impact on the lives of their customers and families have developed non-financial products and services, such as schools, healthcare clinics, and vocational training. Adding on such a service is sometimes referred to as “microfinance-plus.”
Blog

How Sensitive Are Microfinance Clients to Interest Rates?

Many of us have thought for a long time that microcredit clients are not very sensitive to interest rates. But is that actually true?