Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
MESDAG WILLEM
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC [ECPG]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD, SUITE 925
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/04/2010
(Street)

LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock               748,009 (1) I Through RMCP II
Common Stock               2,687,053 (2) I Through RMCP III
Common Stock 01/04/2010(3)   A   1,419 A $ 0 19,544 (4) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
MESDAG WILLEM
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
  X   X    
RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
      Please refer to Remarks below.
RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL PARTNERS III, L.P.
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
      Please refer to Remarks below.
RMCP GP LLC
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
      Please refer to Remarks below.
RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
      Please refer to Remarks below.
RED MOUNTAIN CAPITAL PARTNERS II, L.P.
10100 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SUITE 925
LOS ANGELES, CA 90067
      Please refer to Remarks below.

Signatures

 /s/ Willem Mesdag (on behalf of himself and the Red Mountain Entities   01/06/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares are held directly by Red Mountain Capital Partners II, L.P. ("RMCP II").
(2) These shares are held directly by Red Mountain Capital Partners III, L.P. ("RMCP III").
(3) On January 4, 2010, Encore Capital Group, Inc. ("Encore") issued 1,419 deferred issuance restricted stock units ("RSUs") to Willem Mesdag, under the Encore 2005 Stock Incentive Plan, in connection with his service as a member of Encore's board of directors.
(4) These shares are in the form of RSUs. Each RSU represents the right to receive one share of Encore common stock. All of these RSUs are fully vested.
 
Remarks:
This Form 4 is jointly filed by (i) RMCP II, (ii) RMCP III, (iii) RMCP GP LLC ("RMCP GP"), (iv) Red Mountain Capital Partners LLC ("RMCP LLC"), (v) Red Mountain Capital Management, Inc. ("RMCM"), and (vi) Mr. Mesdag. RMCP GP is the general partner of each of RMCP II and RMCP III. RMCP LLC is the managing member of RMCP GP. RMCM is the managing member of RMCP LLC. Mr. Mesdag is the president, sole executive officer, sole director and sole shareholder of RMCM. Mr. Mesdag is also a director of Encore.  Each of Mr. Mesdag, RMCM, RMCP LLC and RMCP GP, by virtue of their direct or indirect control of RMCP II and RMCP III, may be deemed to beneficially own some or all of the securities reported as being held by RMCP II and RMCP III. Each of the reporting persons hereunder disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest therein. In addition, RMCP II disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities held directly by RMCP III, and RMCP III disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities held directly by RMCP II. This Form 4 shall not be deemed to be an admission that any reporting person hereunder is the beneficial owner of any of the reported securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.