...
my %info = ();
my $hashref = ();
my $dbh = connectstuffhere->connect_mysql(); # this its all set, connection works, not the issue here

my $sth = $dbh->prepare("select * from mytable where lastn = ? and username = ? ") or &die("Can't select: ",$dbh->errmsg); 
   $sth->execute($lname,$username);
   $hashref = $sth->fetchrow_hashref;
    %info = {$hashref};

if (!(scalar %info)) { # what does this mean?
    &dead("Username '$username' is not here.");
}

if ($info{username} eq "") { # but there is a username value in the database and the field its called username
   &dead("No username found!");
}
...