Investment in Receivable Portfolios, Net - Summary of Changes in Balance of Investment in Receivable Portfolios (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 2,143,560	$ 1,590,249
Purchases of receivable portfolios	125,154	467,565
Gross collections	(425,071)	(396,674)
Put-backs and Recalls	(2,563)	(3,384)
Foreign currency adjustments	(66,783)	8,706
Revenue recognized	261,251	234,338
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	2,859	3,230
Balance, end of period	2,038,407	1,904,030
Revenue as a percentage of collections	61.50%ecpg_RevenueAsPercentageOfCollections	59.10%ecpg_RevenueAsPercentageOfCollections
Marlin [Member]
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Purchases of receivable portfolios		208,500
Accrual Basis Portfolios [Member]
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	2,131,084	1,585,587
Purchases of receivable portfolios	125,154	467,565
Gross collections	(407,556)	(389,503)
Put-backs and Recalls	(2,517)	(3,235)
Foreign currency adjustments	(65,369)	8,706
Revenue recognized	248,539	230,747
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	0	310
Balance, end of period	2,029,335	1,900,177
Revenue as a percentage of collections	61.00%	59.20%
Cost Recovery Portfolios [Member]
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	12,476	4,662
Purchases of receivable portfolios	0	0
Gross collections	(1,972)	(660)
Put-backs and Recalls	(18)	(149)
Foreign currency adjustments	(1,414)	0
Revenue recognized	0	0
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	0	0
Balance, end of period	9,072	3,853
Revenue as a percentage of collections	0.00%	0.00%
Zero Basis Portfolios [Member]
Investment in Receivables Portfolio [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	0	0
Purchases of receivable portfolios	0	0
Gross collections	(15,543)	(6,511)
Put-backs and Recalls	(28)	0
Foreign currency adjustments	0	0
Revenue recognized	12,712	3,591
Portfolio allowance reversals, net	2,859	2,920
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0
Revenue as a percentage of collections	81.80%	55.20%

Certain Loans Acquired In Transfer Not Accounted For As Debt Securities Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment

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- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Certain loans acquired in transfer not accounted for as debt securities, (portfolio allowances) portfolio allowance reversals, net.

+ References

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- Definition

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

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

+ References

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Certain loans acquired in transfer not accounted for as debt securities, revenue recognized.

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Revenue as a percentage of collections.

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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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 15

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27045933&loc=d3e13503-111538

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

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