Scores of Americans scrambling to pay their taxes prior to Tuesday's deadline were confronted with the ominous message that the Internal Revenue Service's payment site was down.

Related: How to file a revenue enhancement extension 2018: Here's how to get an extra six months from the IRS

"This service is temporarily unavailable," read the message that greeted filers on the IRS Direct Pay website Tuesday. "Nosotros are working to resolve the result. Delight come back later and try again, or yous can visit the Brand a Payment page for culling payment methods. We apologize for whatsoever inconvenience."

But last-minute filers hoping to be given an extension on settling their tax bill volition exist out of luck. "Note that your tax payment is due although IRS Direct Pay may not be available," the message continued.

In an address to lawmakers Tuesday morning, IRS Acting Commissioner David Kautter shed more light on the issue.

"On my way over here this morning, I was told a number of systems are down at the moment," he said. "We are working to resolve the effect, and taxpayers should go on to file as they normally would."

The IRS planned to do a "difficult reboot" of its system in order to try to rectify the problem, a congressional official told The Washington Mail.

In the meantime, at that place are a number of alternatives bachelor. Credit and debit cards tin be used to brand payments on a number of sites, although they require an added fee. Alternatively, individuals, or businesses, can brand a same-day bank wire, issue a check or money order or even pay past cash at participating 7-Eleven stores.