How to Secure Income Tax Return e-Filing Account? Step by Step

The e-Filing account of the income tax contains very confidential and important information. So, it is very important to secure the e-Filing account. In order to secure your income tax account, income tax department has introduced E-Filing Vault, which will restrict fraudulent logins.

Putting restriction on the options for Login and locking the ways of resetting the password can secure your account from the possible misuse. This will put additional security and secured access.

  • The user must be registered on the e-Filing portal
  • A valid DSC is already registered in the e-Filing application.
  • In case of individual users, a valid Aadhaar card should be linked with PAN on e-Filing portal.
  • In case of individual users, a valid bank account number or Demat account number must be linked with PAN in e-Filing.

Read Also:  5 Secure Ways to Lock Reset Password Options on e-Filing Account

To secure Income Tax Return e-Filing Account follow the following steps:

Step 1: Login to e-Filing portal using the credentials as registered.

Step 2: Navigate to profile settings, then navigate e-Filing Vault- Higher Security. The following screen will be displayed.

protect efiling accountStep 3: User can select any of the option available to secure the account. On success, the one will be allowed to login and reset password only with the above selected options.

 

Fields Pre-requisite to avail this option
Login through Net Banking User should login to e-Filing portal atleast once through net banking to use this option
Login Using DSC One must register Digital signature certificate before using this option. To register DSC, Go to My Profile then click on Register Digital Signature Certificate.
Login using Aadhaar OTP User need to link the PAN to Aadhaar card prior from opting Login through Aadhaar OTP. To link Aadhaar, go to My Profile then click on Link Aadhaar.
Login through Bank Account EVC Users need to link Bank Account with Pan prior from opting this option for login. To link Bank account with PAN, go to My Profile then click on Pre-validate your bank account.
Login using Demat Account EVC Users need to link PAN with Demat Account prior from opting this option. To link Demat Account, go to My profile then click on Pre-validate your Demat Account.

Login with Higher Security Options

1) Login through Net Banking

You can secure your efiling account by logging through net banking. In case the user opts for Login through Net Banking, along with the e-Filing User ID and Password, user will be required to Login through Net Banking.

This will be an additional step to access your e-Filing account and thus ensures additional security to user’s e-Filing account.

Step 1: User have to select the option “Login through Net banking”. Once the user selects this checkbox, following screen appears. Click on “OK” and then click on “Proceed” button.

Step 2: You will be redirected to the confirmation page.

Step 3: Click on “Confirm” button and a success message will appear.


Step 4:
Next time when the user logins to the e-Filing account, the user is redirected to “e-Filing through net banking” page where the user need to select his/ her bank and login to the bank.

Step 5: User must select the bank from the list of the banks provided.

Step 6: After Login to Net banking account, click on “Login to the IT e-Filing account”.

Step 7: User will be redirected to the e-Filing portal.

This secured login can be deactivated anytime by the user.

Navigate to Profile Settings then click on e-Filing Vault- Higher Security and unselect the checkbox “Login through Net banking “and click on Proceed button.

User will be redirected to the confirmation page.

Click on “Disable” button. A success message will appear.

2) Login using DSC

You can also secure your efiling account by logging using DSC. In case the user opts for Login using DSC, along with e-Filing User ID and password, user will be required to Login using DSC. This will be additional step to login the account and ensures additional security to the e-Filing account.

Step 1: Users have to select the option “Login using DSC”. After selecting the checkbox, the following screen will appear. Click on “OK” and click the “Proceed” button.

Step 2: User will be redirected to a confirmation page.

Step 3: Click on “Confirm” button. A following success message will appear.

Step 4: Next time when the user logins to e-Filing account, the user will be redirected to Secured Login Option page where the user has to select the either New or Registered DSC, and upload the signature file generated using DSC Management utility. Click on “Submit” button.

Step 5: User will be redirected to e-Filing dashboard.

This secured login can be deactivated anytime by the user.

  • Navigate to Profile setting then click on e-Filing Vault- Higher Security and unselect the option “Login using DSC” and click on “Proceed” button.
  • User will be redirected to the confirmation page.
  • Click on “Disable” button. Following success message will appear on the screen.

3) Login using Aadhaar OTP

In case the user opts for “Login using Aadhaar OTP”, along with e-Filing User ID and Password, user have to login using Aadhaar OTP generated. If the user has linked Aadhaar to PAN, a request is made to the Aadhaar web service, OTP is generated and sent to the registered mobile number with UIDAI. This is an additional step to login to your e-Filing account and ensures additional security to the user’s e-Filing account.

Step 1: User has to select the option “Login using Aadhaar OTP”. After selecting the checkbox, following screen will appear. Click on “Generate Aadhaar OTP” button.

Step 2: An OTP will be generated and will be sent to the registered mobile number with the Aadhaar.

Step 3: Enter the OTP received on the mobile number and click on Validate button or the same OTP can be used by opting “I already have Aadhaar OTP”.

Step 4: Following Success message will appear on the screen. Click on “OK” button  and Click on “Proceed” button,

Step 5: User will be redirected to the confirmation page.

Step 6: Click on “Confirm” button. Following success message will be displayed on the screen.

Step 7: Next time when the user logins to the e-Filing account, the user is redirected to Aadhaar OTP Login page where the user needs to generate Aadhaar OTP. Click on Generate Aadhaar OTP button.

Step 8: Aadhaar OTP is successfully generated and will be sent to registered mobile number with Aadhaar.

Step 9: Aadhaar OTP will be validated and the user will be redirected to the e-Filing dashboard or the same OTP could be used by selecting “I already have Aadhaar OTP”.

The secured login can be deactivated anytime by the user.

  • Navigate to Profile Settings, then click on e-Filing Vault- Higher Security and unselect the option “Login using Aadhaar OTP” and click Proceed button.
  • User will be redirected to a confirmation page.
  • Click on Disable button. Following success message will be displayed on the screen.

4) Login using Bank Account EVC

You can also secure your efiling account by logging through EVC. In case the user opts for Login using Bank Account EVC, along with the e-Filing User ID and password, user have to enter the EVC generated through bank account at the time of login. If user has pre-validated bank account, an EVC is generated and sent to the mobile number registered with the Bank. This will be an additional step prior to login and will ensure the additional security to your account.

Step 1: User has to select the option “Login using bank account EVC”. After selecting the checkbox, following screen will be displayed.

Step 2: Click on “OK” button and click on “Proceed” button. User will be redirected to the following confirmation page.

Step 3: Click on “Confirm” button. Following success message will be displayed on the screen.

Step 4: For the next time when the user logins, the user will be redirected to Secured login option page where the user needs to enter EVC generated through bank account.

Step 5: You can choose any of the either options available on the screen which will appear.

Step 6: Enter the EVC generated which will be sent to your registered your mail ID and registered mobile number with the bank.

Step 7: After that user will be redirected to the e-Filing dashboard.

The secured login can be deactivated anytime by the user.

  • Navigate to the Profile settings then click on e-Filing Vault – Higher security and unselect the option “Login using Bank account EVC” and click “Proceed” button.
  • User will be redirected to the confirmation page.
  • Click on the Disable button. Following success message will be displayed.

5) Login using Demat Account EVC

In case the user opts for Login using Demat Account EVC, along with e-Filing User ID and Password, user has to enter EVC generated through demat account at the time of login. If user has pre-validated Demat account, an EVC is generated and will be sent to the Mobile number registered with Demat account. This is an additional step prior to login and also ensures additional security to the e-fling account.

Step 1: User has to select the option “Login using Demat Account EVC”. After selecting the checkbox, following screen will be displayed on the screen.

Step 2: Click on “Ok” button and click on “Proceed” button. User will be redirected to a confirmation page.

Step 3: Click on “Confirm” button. Following success message will be displayed on the screen.

Step 4: Next time when the user logins, the user will be redirected to Secured login option page             where the user has to enter EVC generated through demat account.

Step 5: You can choose any of the either options available on the screen displayed.

Step 6: Enter the EVC generated which is sent to e-mail ID and mobile number registered with the bank.

Step 7: Click on “Validate” button. After success validation, user will be redirected to the e-Filing dashboard.

 The secured login can be deactivated anytime by the user.

  • Navigate to Profile settings then click on e-Filing Vault – Higher Security and unselect the option “Login using Demat Account EVC” and click on “Proceed” button.
  • User will be redirected to the following confirmation page.

About the Author

arpit goyalArpit Goyal is pursuing CA and B.com & also working as an article assistant in Gurgaon. He has an immense interest in Taxation. He loves to use technology to spread knowledge about taxation & accounts.

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