Who Is Encore Capital Group? Why Are They Calling Me?

By US Debt Compass Editorial TeamUpdated 2026-08-09
CFPB complaints on record for Encore Capital Group
4,767

Most commonly for attempts to collect debt not owed

View full complaint lookup for Encore Capital Group →

Contact Encore Capital Group

Address to send a debt validation letter
Midland Credit Management, Inc. Attn: Chief Compliance Officer PO Box 939069 San Diego, CA 92193
Phone
1-800-296-2657 (general); 1-877-420-0039 (complaints/consumer resolution)

As of 2026-07-15 — verify before mailing anything important, since collectors do change addresses.

Encore Capital Group (Nasdaq: ECPG) is the largest publicly traded debt buyer in the U.S. — but almost nobody deals with “Encore Capital Group” directly. Its wholly-owned collection subsidiary, Midland Credit Management (MCM), is the entity that actually contacts consumers, sends letters, and shows up on court dockets. If a company called Encore is listed as the owner of your debt but you’re getting calls or mail, they’re almost certainly coming from Midland Credit Management using the contact details above. As with any debt buyer, it’s worth sending a debt validation request if you’re unsure the amount or the ownership is correct.

The scale backs that up: across the 7 states where the Debt Collection Lab publishes full lawsuit-level court data, entities filing as Midland (Midland Credit Management and Midland Funding LLC combined) show up in over 600,000 debt-collection cases — the single largest filer by volume of any collector tracked, ahead of both LVNV Funding and Portfolio Recovery Associates. If Midland has sued you, see what to do after a lawsuit summons before the response deadline passes.

Questions & Answers

Is Encore Capital Group a legitimate debt collector?

Encore Capital Group shows up in the CFPB consumer complaint database, which tracks real complaints filed against real companies — so it is a legitimate, registered entity, not a scam name. That doesn't mean every call claiming to be from them is real; scammers impersonate real collectors. Verify what they're collecting before paying anything — see what to do the first time a collector contacts you.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

How do I stop Encore Capital Group from calling me?

Under the FDCPA, you can send Encore Capital Group a written cease-and-desist letter and they must stop contacting you except to confirm they've received it or to notify you of specific legal action. This doesn't erase the debt — it only stops the calls. See the cease-and-desist letter glossary entry for how to send one.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

How do I dispute a debt with Encore Capital Group?

Send a written debt validation request to Encore Capital Group's dispute address within 30 days of first contact — they must then verify the debt before continuing collection. See the contact details above for the current mailing address.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

Is Encore Capital Group on my credit report?

If Encore Capital Group is collecting on an account, it can appear on your credit report as a collection tradeline, separate from the original creditor's listing. Check your credit report directly to confirm, and see the credit report dispute guide if anything about the listing looks wrong.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

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