Consumer Confidential: Tax extension, tax scam, iPad delay

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Here’s your wherefore-art-thou Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--Tax day is Thursday. But if you’re like many people, you might have put things off to the very last minute -- and you might still need some extra time. Perhaps you didn’t know that everyone is entitled to a six-month filing extension, no questions asked. All you need to do is go to the website of the Internal Revenue Service and download a copy of Form 4868. You’ll still need to estimate how much you owe, but you’ll have up to half a year to pony up.

--And keep this in mind: Authorities are warning that scammers have been busy sending out bogus e-mails that purport to offer important tax info but instead are an attempt to make off with your Social Security number and other confidential data. Here’s what you need to know: The IRS never, ever asks for personal information via e-mail. So if there’s such a cyber-request, ignore it. And if you’re instructed to send money to Nigeria, that’s a red flag as well.

--No iPad for you ... at least if you live overseas. Apple has once again delayed the gotta-get-it gadget’s international release. It now says it will start taking orders from abroad on May 10, rather than the originally planned late March and then the rescheduled late April. Apparently the red-hot popularity of the product is cutting into available supplies, forcing Apple to move back its global availability until the shelves are restocked. A company could have worse problems.

-- David Lazarus