NAJAF, Iraq – A worrying trend has emerged in the Wadi al-Salam cemetery in Najaf, whereby fake graves are being built on key roads, part of a scam in which bogus burial plots are sold to mourners.

Najaf’s municipality has started a campaign to remove dozens of these fake graves, which have completely blocked several small roads. Officials warn that unknown gravediggers and dubious social media pages are selling these illegal plots to grieving families, taking advantage of poor oversight and public trust.

The cemetery, one of the largest in the world, is divided into two sections. The older section is close to the shrines of Imam Ali and the prophets Hud and Saleh. The issue is most common in the newer part of the cemetery, known locally as “the seven entrances,” blocking access and raising safety concerns. 

Most of the victims of the scam are from provinces outside Najaf, including Baghdad, Basra, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah, Samawah, and Kut, according to residents who spoke with The New Region.

“I saw a sponsored ad on Facebook promoting the sale of a burial plot for two million dinars,” said Yasser al-Shammari, a victim of the con. “I contacted them and met someone at the cemetery. I paid a quarter of the money, but later I found out the land was actually a road. The person disappeared after the removal campaign.”

Bashar al-Sudani, media director of Najaf’s municipality, said gravediggers usually work at night to build the fake graves, which are then sold as private plots.

“Dozens of fake graves have been removed, and we will keep working to reopen the roads inside the cemetery,” Sudani said. “So far, we haven’t caught anyone in the act, but legal action will be taken against anyone proven to be involved.”

Qasim al-Fatlawi, a gravedigger in the cemetery, said the fake graves are especially common at the third and fourth entrances.

“Many roads are now blocked by fake graves, which are later sold to people who don’t know they’re not allowed to be buried there,” he said.

Fatlawi warned families not to trust online pages or unknown gravediggers. “These people take advantage of families in need and the lack of proper rules to make illegal money,” he said.