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Deferred Court Costs, Net - Schedule of Court Cost Reserve (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of period | $ (327,926) | $ (318,784) | $ (279,572)
Provision for court costs | (82,702) | (67,850) | (82,593)
Net down of reserve after deferral period | 50,743 | 53,527 | 42,745
Effect of foreign currency translation | (4,130) | 5,181 | 636
Balance at end of period | $ (364,015) | $ (327,926) | $ (318,784)

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- Definition Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets [Roll Forward] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ecpg_DeferredCostsCapitalizedPrepaidandOtherAssetsRollForward
Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Deferred court costs, reserve. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ecpg_DeferredCourtCostsReserve
Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Other Deferred Costs, Court Cost Reserve, Effect of Foreign Currency Translation + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ecpg_OtherDeferredCostsCourtCostReserveEffectofForeignCurrencyTranslation
Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Provision for court cost spent. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ecpg_ProvisionForCourtCostSpent
Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Write-off of reserve after the 60th month. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ecpg_WriteOffOfReserveAfterSixtyMonths
Namespace Prefix: | ecpg_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration