Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenues
Revenue from receivable portfolios, net	$ 283,588	$ 159,534	$ 807,794	$ 697,080
Other revenues	23,111	19,881	61,763	60,794
Total revenues	306,699	179,415	869,557	757,874
Operating expenses
Salaries and employee benefits	77,232	67,783	221,296	212,924
Cost of legal collections	48,094	56,932	149,460	158,047
Other operating expenses	25,859	24,131	76,249	75,420
Collection agency commissions	10,622	8,848	33,678	28,242
General and administrative expenses	32,500	34,871	102,750	103,044
Depreciation and amortization	8,522	8,032	25,819	26,128
Total operating expenses	202,829	200,597	609,252	603,805
Income (loss) from operations	103,870	(21,182)	260,305	154,069
Other (expense) income
Interest expense	(52,755)	(48,632)	(152,469)	(149,920)
Other income	8,873	4,100	12,004	14,358
Total other expense	(43,882)	(44,532)	(140,465)	(135,562)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	59,988	(65,714)	119,840	18,507
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(17,844)	13,768	(43,442)	(9,831)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	42,144	(51,946)	76,398	8,676
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	(199)	(3,182)
Net income (loss)	42,144	(51,946)	76,199	5,494
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(13,950)	50,422	(5,652)	48,264
Net income (loss) attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc. stockholders	28,194	(1,524)	70,547	53,758
Amounts attributable to Encore Capital Group, Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	28,194	(1,524)	70,746	56,940
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	(199)	(3,182)
Net income (loss)	$ 28,194	$ (1,524)	$ 70,547	$ 53,758
Basic earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.08	$ (0.06)	$ 2.73	$ 2.22
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.13)
Net basic earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	1.08	(0.06)	2.72	2.09
Diluted earnings (loss) per share from:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	1.05	(0.06)	2.68	2.20
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.12)
Net diluted earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.05	$ (0.06)	$ 2.67	$ 2.08
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	26,011	25,777	25,957	25,690
Diluted (in shares)	26,736	25,777	26,406	25,885