Think you’ve got extra time for filing your taxes? The deadline is still July 31

Tax filing deadline: Are you feeling a bit too relaxed about your income tax filing, thinking the deadline has been extended? Think again! The Income Tax Department has issued a stern warning against false news claiming the deadline for ITR filing has been pushed to August 31. The real deadline remains firmly set for July 31, 2024.

The department stressed the importance of obtaining information from official sources. A post on the Income Tax Department's social media account on X (formerly Twitter) stated, “It has come to our knowledge that a clipping of Sandesh news is circulating on social media regarding the extension of the date for e-filing of ITR. This is FAKE news. Taxpayers are advised to follow updates from the official website/portal of IncomeTaxIndia."

Watch out for scammers

In addition to addressing the fake news, the Income Tax Department warned about a new scam targeting those awaiting tax refunds. Scammers are reportedly sending SMS and emails under the guise of tax refunds to drain people's bank accounts.

The department's website reported that over 4 crore ITRs had been filed by July 22, 2024, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. On July 16 alone, over 15 lakh ITRs were filed, and the number is expected to rise as the July 31 deadline approaches.

Significant milestones in ITR filing have been achieved earlier this year compared to last year. The 1 crore mark was reached on June 23, 2024, followed by the 2 crore and 3 crore marks on July 7 and July 16, respectively. The 4 crore milestone was achieved on July 24 last year.

Taxpayers experiencing technical issues while filing can contact the department's toll-free helpdesk numbers (1800 103 0025 or 1800 419 0025) or email Efilingwebmanager@incometax.gov.in for assistance.