Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios, net	$ 265,523	$ 251,785	$ 799,934	$ 737,584
Other revenues	14,558	13,445	42,080	38,943
Net interest income	7,715	8,052	21,801	19,691
Total revenues	287,796	273,282	863,815	796,218
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	64,976	61,175	200,269	183,667
Cost of legal collections	58,760	53,742	170,834	153,596
Other operating expenses	23,953	22,061	72,202	72,196
Collection agency commissions	9,381	9,517	28,532	25,275
General and administrative expenses	88,002	35,532	159,780	110,508
Depreciation and amortization	8,235	6,933	24,669	19,879
Total operating expenses	253,307	188,960	656,286	565,121
Income from operations	34,489	84,322	207,529	231,097
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(47,816)	(43,498)	(136,369)	(124,678)
Other (expense) income	(924)	(532)	1,588	(192)
Total other expense	(48,740)	(44,030)	(134,781)	(124,870)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(14,251)	40,292	72,748	106,227
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	4,887	(10,154)	(26,960)	(35,906)
Net (loss) income	(9,364)	30,138	45,788	70,321
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,595)	197	335	6,755
Net (loss) income attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	$ (10,959)	$ 30,335	$ 46,123	$ 77,076
(Loss) earnings per share attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.43)	$ 1.17	$ 1.79	$ 2.99
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.43)	$ 1.11	$ 1.71	$ 2.79
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	25,450	25,879	25,800	25,811
Diluted (in shares)	25,450	27,332	26,912	27,622