This data comes from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and reflects consumer complaints, not proven violations.

CFPB complaint data Grade D 50,437 complaints

Encore Capital Group Inc. - Debt Collector Complaint Profile

CFPB complaint profile across 54 states, reputation grade D.

Complaints by issue type

What consumers report about Encore Capital Group Inc.

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Data updated July 2026

D

Grade D · 55.4/100 composite

This collector has a poor complaint record with above-average complaints and below-average response rates.

Based on consumer-filed CFPB complaints, not proven violations or a court finding of wrongdoing.

The verdict

A reputation grade of D: Encore Capital Group Inc. ranks ahead of 27% of the 5,283 collectors PlainCollector grades - 73% keep a cleaner CFPB record, on 50,437 all-time complaints and a 100% timely-response rate.

27th pct
reputation rank of 5,283 graded collectors
50,437
CFPB complaints, all-time
100%
answered inside the CFPB window
18,209
in the last 12 months (rising)

Grades are relative: every collector is ranked against the others, so an A reflects a cleaner record than peers, not a clean bill of conduct. A complaint is a consumer filing, not a proven violation.

What do CFPB complaints reveal about Encore Capital Group Inc.?

Encore Capital Group Inc. has accumulated 50,437 total CFPB complaints across 54 states, with 18,209 filed in the most recent 12 months against 32,228 historical complaints before that window. The trailing-12-month volume represents 36.1% of the full complaint history, a rising pattern that suggests escalating consumer friction rather than a legacy book of disputes.

The dominant consumer grievance logged with the CFPB is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", narrowing to "Debt is not yours". The company posts a 100% timely-response rate against a 18% consumer-dispute-after-response rate.

Complaints have been recorded across 54 states, led by Texas with 6,205 and Florida with 6,086. Normalized against the full CFPB collector database, the reputation score of 55.4/100 places Encore Capital Group Inc. in grade band D.

How to read a complaint count →

Complaint Summary

Total CFPB complaints

50,437

mega-volume (CCDB)

Last 12 months

18,209

36.1% of all-time complaints

Rising ↑

States active

54

nationwide footprint

Timely response rate

100%

excellent band

Consumer disputes

18%

average (vertical avg ~19%)

Reputation grade

D

55.4/100 composite

How does Encore Capital Group Inc.'s reputation rank nationally?

Reputation score vs. every graded collector

PlainCollector composite reputation score (0–100, higher = cleaner CFPB record)

55 27th percentile higher than 27% of 5,283 graded collectors

0–10: 0 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 3 graded collectors (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 29 graded collectors (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 160 graded collectors (3%). Below this entry. 40–50: 583 graded collectors (11%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,469 graded collectors (28%). This entry sits in this band. 60–70: 1,364 graded collectors (26%). Above this entry. 70–80: 871 graded collectors (16%). Above this entry. 80–90: 660 graded collectors (12%). Above this entry. 90–100: 144 graded collectors (3%). Above this entry. This collector 0 100 every graded collector, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more graded collectors. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCollector composite of CFPB Consumer Complaint Database · 2013–2026

Response-quality profile

Encore Capital Group Inc. versus the debt-collection vertical average.

Timely response within SLA 99.9%
Vertical avg

CFPB requires companies to respond within 15 days for most complaints; 60 days for credit-reporting.

Consumer dispute rate (post-response) 18.3%
Vertical avg

Lower is better. The percentage of consumers who flagged the company's response as unsatisfactory.

State coverage breadth 96.4%

Share of US states + territories with at least one filed complaint against this collector.

How does Encore Capital Group Inc. compare to its peers?

How does ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC. compare? Versus a similar-volume peer and the national average, drawn from 10 collectors with a comparable complaint count
ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP I… National average
Complaints (last 12 mo)lower is better
18,209
14,628
268
Timely-response ratehigher is better
100%
100%
91%
Consumer-dispute ratelower is better
18%
17%
19%

Source: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

Complaint Trend (24 months)

2024-04 2026-03

Issue Detail Breakdown

Issue Sub-Issue Complaints
Attempts to collect debt not owed - 17,856
Took or threatened to take negative or legal action - 8,143
Written notification about debt - 7,766
False statements or representation - 6,332
Communication tactics - 3,685
Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed - 3,015
Disclosure verification of debt - 1,734
Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly - 646
Taking/threatening an illegal action - 524
Improper contact or sharing of info - 396

Where do complaints against Encore Capital Group Inc. come from?

Encore Capital Group Inc.'s own per-state count, not a national baseline.

Top states by complaints against Encore Capital Group Inc.

Across 54 states with at least one filing

complaints
Source CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

What to do if Encore Capital Group Inc. contacts you

A grade of D signals how Encore Capital Group Inc.'s CFPB record compares to peers, here is how to act on it.

  • Demand written debt validation within 30 days of first contact, collectors must prove the debt is yours. Validation letter
  • Confirm the caller is really Encore Capital Group Inc. and not an impostor before paying anything. Verify a collector
  • Know your FDCPA rights, you can stop calls and report harassment. Your rights
  • See how Encore Capital Group Inc. ranks against every other collector by complaint record. Browse rankings

Complaint counts and grades reflect the public CFPB record, not a regulator's finding of wrongdoing or legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common complaint against Encore Capital Group Inc.? ▼

The most common issue consumers report about Encore Capital Group Inc. is "Attempts to collect debt not owed", specifically "Debt is not yours". This is based on 50,437 complaints filed with the CFPB.

Are complaints against Encore Capital Group Inc. increasing or decreasing? ▼

Complaints against Encore Capital Group Inc. are rising. The company received 18,209 complaints in the last 12 months, indicating an upward trend in consumer issues.

What is Encore Capital Group Inc.'s reputation grade? ▼

Encore Capital Group Inc. has a reputation grade of D (score: 55.4/100), PlainCollector's composite letter grade blending complaint volume, response timeliness, dispute rate, and complaint trend.

Does Encore Capital Group Inc. respond to consumer complaints? ▼

Encore Capital Group Inc. has a 100% timely response rate to CFPB complaints. Consumers disputed the company's response in 18% of cases.

In how many states does Encore Capital Group Inc. operate? ▼

Encore Capital Group Inc. has received CFPB complaints from consumers in 54 states, with the most complaints from Texas (6,205 complaints).

Data sourced from the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCollector Editorial

Every figure on PlainCollector is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.