html - Trouble With If statement PHP

I have been scripting PHP for for about 9 months now and im starting to run into a problem with my if conditions. This has never happened before.

if ($reason != "9ee1e1f4fbf1"){
    XXXXXXXXX
}

I even tried putting the 9ee1ef4fbf1 in parenthesis and that didnt work.
i keep getting this:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_IF in /home/content/49/549/html/index.php on line 21

Answer

The problem is in the line above the if. Maybe forgot a semicolon?