Investment in Receivable Portfolios, Net - Change in the Balance of the Investment in Receivable Portfolios (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 3,137,893	$ 2,890,613
Purchases of receivable portfolios	262,335	276,762
Disposals or transfers to assets held for sale	(3,589)	(3,072)
Gross collections	(513,853)	(489,102)
Put-Backs and Recalls	(3,700)	(3,820)
Foreign currency adjustments	19,976	61,940
Revenue recognized	311,158	281,009
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net	1,367	9,811
Balance, end of period	$ 3,211,587	$ 3,024,141
Revenue as a percentage of collections	60.60%	57.50%
Accrual Basis Portfolios
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 3,129,502	$ 2,879,170
Purchases of receivable portfolios	262,335	276,762
Disposals or transfers to assets held for sale	(3,145)	(3,072)
Gross collections	(485,598)	(455,143)
Put-Backs and Recalls	(3,694)	(3,691)
Foreign currency adjustments	20,137	61,590
Revenue recognized	285,255	249,821
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net	(900)	8,082
Balance, end of period	$ 3,203,892	$ 3,013,519
Revenue as a percentage of collections	58.70%	54.90%
Cost Recovery Portfolios
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 8,391	$ 11,443
Purchases of receivable portfolios	0	0
Disposals or transfers to assets held for sale	(444)	0
Gross collections	(91)	(1,171)
Put-Backs and Recalls	0	0
Foreign currency adjustments	(161)	350
Revenue recognized	0	0
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net	0	0
Balance, end of period	$ 7,695	$ 10,622
Revenue as a percentage of collections	0.00%	0.00%
Zero Basis Portfolios
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 0	$ 0
Purchases of receivable portfolios	0	0
Disposals or transfers to assets held for sale	0	0
Gross collections	(28,164)	(32,788)
Put-Backs and Recalls	(6)	(129)
Foreign currency adjustments	0	0
Revenue recognized	25,903	31,188
Portfolio (allowance) reversals, net	2,267	1,729
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0
Revenue as a percentage of collections	92.00%	95.10%

Certain Loans Acquired In Transfer Not Accounted For As Debt Securities Disposals or Transfers to Held for Sale Net

No definition available.

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- Definition

Certain Loans Acquired In Transfer Not Accounted For As Debt Securities Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment Gain (Loss)

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Certain loans acquired in transfer not accounted for as debt securities, gross collections.

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- Definition

Certain loans acquired in transfer not accounted for as debt securities, purchases of receivable portfolios.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Certain loans acquired in transfer not accounted for as debt securities, put-backs and recalls.

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No definition available.

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Revenue as a percentage of collections.

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- Definition

Reversal provision for allowances on receivable portfolios net.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of accretion recognized for the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894507&loc=d3e13503-111538

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894903&loc=d3e15032-111544

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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The recorded balance, net of any applicable reductions (for example, unamortized accretable yield and allowance for loan losses). This relates to loans not accounted for debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that were acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894903&loc=d3e15032-111544

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-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894507&loc=d3e13503-111538

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