The Income Tax Department has issued a cautionary notice regarding false information about the ITR filing deadline. The department clarified that a news snippet circulating on social media, which claims the deadline for e-filing ITR has been extended to August 31, is inaccurate.
The actual deadline for submitting ITR for FY2023-24 is July 31, 2024, according to the IT department. “We have identified a circulating Sandesh news clip on social media that falsely announces an extension for e-filing ITR. This is FAKE news. Taxpayers are encouraged to consult updates from the official IncomeTaxIndia website/portal,” the Income Tax Department posted on X (formerly Twitter). Additionally, the tax authority warned about a new scam concerning income tax refunds.
They noted, “A new scam targeting those awaiting refunds has emerged. Scammers are exploiting the pretext of tax refunds to access individuals' bank accounts through fraudulent SMS and emails.” The Income Tax Department’s website reported, “As of July 22, 2024, over 4 crore ITRs have been filed, marking an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. The daily filing rate surpassed 15 lakh on July 16 and is anticipated to rise further as the July 31, 2024 deadline approaches.”
It further noted, "The milestone of 1 crore ITRs for AY 2024-25 was reached on June 23, 2024. The 2 crore and 3 crore milestones were attained on July 7 and July 16, respectively, both earlier than the previous year. The 4 crore milestone was achieved on July 24 last year. Taxpayers encountering any technical issues with filing are encouraged to contact our toll-free helpdesk at 1800 103 0025 or 1800 419 0025, or email [email protected].”