2026 data Public-data reference. official source

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.

Open-data reference.

Debt Collector — CFPB Complaint Profile Specializes in: Credit card debt

44,397
Debt Collection Complaints
79.9%
of All Complaints
99.9%
Timely Response
38.9%
Closed with Relief

Debt Collection Complaint Breakdown

I do not know 20,393
Credit card debt 16,132
Credit card 3,590
Other debt 2,054
Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.) 1,586
Medical debt 205
Telecommunications debt 110
Payday loan debt 85
Auto debt 78
Medical 45
Auto 32
Payday loan 20
Rental debt 19
Mortgage 14
Non-federal student loan 13
Private student loan debt 8
Federal student loan 5
Mortgage debt 5
Federal student loan debt 3

Top Complaint Issues

1.Attempts to collect debt not owed 14,842
2.Written notification about debt 6,974
3.Took or threatened to take negative or legal action 6,756
4.False statements or representation 5,713
5.Incorrect information on your report 4,976
6.Communication tactics 3,535
7.Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed 3,016
8.Improper use of your report 2,403
9.Disclosure verification of debt 1,734
10.Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem 1,478

Company Responses

Closed with explanation 33,185
Closed with non-monetary relief 21,487
In progress 783
Closed with monetary relief 95
Closed 1
Consumers who disputed the response 18.2%
Credit utilization context for debt-collection consumers

Most consumers facing collection complaints carry utilization in the Fair-Poor band. FICO bands per myFICO + Experian guidance.

Ideal (+0 to +10)0-10Healthy (~0 to -10)10-30Moderate (-10 to -30)30-50High (-30 to -50)50-75Very high (-45 to -70)75-100Maxed (-60 to -100+)100-12030%

FICO impact ranges synthesize myFICO + Experian + Equifax consumer-education materials. Individual results vary.

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2013 984
2014 2,596
2015 2,173
2016 1,559
2017 1,705
2018 1,851
2019 1,676
2020 1,950
2021 3,079
2022 2,732
2023 3,739
2024 8,806
2025 17,401
2026 5,300

Complaints by State (Top 15)

Florida 6,796
Texas 6,641
California 5,840
Georgia 3,980
New York 3,124
Pennsylvania 2,394
Illinois 2,384
New Jersey 1,770
Michigan 1,654
Ohio 1,616
South Carolina 1,322
North Carolina 1,319
Virginia 1,296
Maryland 1,265
Louisiana 1,119

Other Complaint Types

Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 6,635
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting 2,885
Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 389
Debt or credit management — Debt settlement 222
Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card 214
Credit card 178

Your Rights with Debt Collectors

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects you from abusive, unfair, and deceptive collection practices.

  • Request written verification of any debt within 30 days of first contact
  • Dispute a debt if you believe it is incorrect or does not belong to you
  • Demand the collector stop contacting you (in writing)
  • File a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint

What the CFPB Record Shows for ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. has 44,397 debt-collection complaints on file with the CFPB, which represents 79.9% of the 55,551 total complaints the Bureau has received about this entity. Reports have originated from consumers in 56 states and territories, making this a nationwide collection operation as measured by complaint volume. The most common debt type behind these complaints is "Credit card debt," which is the category consumers most often describe when they file a CFPB report about this collector. The single most-cited specific issue is "Attempts to collect debt not owed" — a useful starting point for understanding where the friction between this collector and consumers most frequently occurs.

The company's timely response rate is 99.9%, meaning that share of CFPB-forwarded complaints received a reply within the 15-day window the Bureau expects. That figure meets the industry benchmark and indicates an intake process that is functioning on schedule. Of resolved cases, 38.9% closed with monetary or non-monetary relief to the consumer, which is a relatively high relief ratio for the debt-collection segment. Consumers formally disputed the company's response in 18.2% of resolved cases, signalling how often the initial resolution failed to satisfy the complainant.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), consumers have the right to request written verification of a debt within 30 days of first contact, to dispute debts they believe are incorrect or not theirs, and to demand in writing that a collector cease contact. Complaint volume alone does not prove wrongdoing — larger collection portfolios naturally produce more complaints — but the combination of timely-response rate, relief ratio, and dispute rate above gives a reasonable empirical picture of how this collector handles consumer interactions. Anyone in active dispute with this company should keep written records, use certified mail for verification requests, and consider filing a CFPB complaint if standard resolution channels stall.

Educational data summary, not financial or legal advice. Individual complaint outcomes vary. Consumers with an active dispute should consult a qualified consumer-protection attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many debt collection complaints does ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. have?

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. has 44,397 debt collection complaints filed with the CFPB, representing 79.9% of all complaints against this company.

Does ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. respond to complaints on time?

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. has a 99.9% timely response rate. This is considered excellent.

Does ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. provide relief to consumers?

38.9% of resolved complaints against ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. were closed with some form of consumer relief (monetary or non-monetary). This is a relatively high relief rate.

What type of debt does ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. primarily collect?

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. primarily collects "Credit card debt" based on CFPB complaint data. The full breakdown of debt types is shown above.

What rights do I have against ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC.?

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you can request written debt verification within 30 days, dispute debts you believe are incorrect, demand the collector stop contacting you in writing, and file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

In how many states is ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. active?

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. has received consumer complaints from 56 states and territories, based on CFPB data.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Complaint Database · Q1 2026 Complaints filed against firms, not individuals. Data through March 2026.

Related

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.