Exhibit 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all men by these  presents,  that the  undersigned  hereby  constitutes and
appoints Barry R. Barkley,  J. Brandon Black, George Brooker and Robin R. Pruitt
and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

     (1)  execute  for and on behalf  of the  undersigned  in the  undersigned's
capacity  as an officer  and/or  director of Encore  Capital  Group,  Inc.  (the
"Company"),  any  and  all  reports  and  forms  required  to be  filed  by  the
undersigned in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
and the rules thereunder, including but not limited to all Forms 3, 4 and 5;

     (2) do and  perform  any and all acts for and on behalf of the  undersigned
which may be  necessary  or desirable to complete and execute any such report or
form and timely file the same with the United  States  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar trading market; and

     (3) take any other action of any type  whatsoever  in  connection  with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,  may be of benefit to,
in the best  interest  of or  legally  required  by, the  undersigned,  it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned,  pursuant  to this  Power of  Attorney,  shall be in form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his or
her discretion.

The  undersigned  hereby  grants to each such  attorney-in-fact  full  power and
authority  to do and perform all and every act and thing  whatsoever  requisite,
necessary, and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally  present,  with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby  ratifying and confirming all that such  attorney-in-fact,  or his or her
substitute or  substitutes,  shall  lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of
this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.

This  Power of  Attorney  shall  remain  in full  force  and  effect  until  the
undersigned  is no longer  required to file reports or forms pursuant to Section
16 with respect to the undersigned's  holdings of and transactions in securities
issued by the Company,  unless  earlier  revoked by the  undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  has caused  this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 6th day of February, 2003.


                                 /s/Nelson Peltz
                                ------------------------------------
                                Name:  Nelson Peltz