title: Telegram bot: How to mention user by its id (not its username)
body: <p>I am creating a telegram bot and using <code>sendMessage</code> method to send the messages.
  it is easy to mention user using <code>@username</code>, But how to mention user when they don't have username?</p>
  
  <p>If using the telegram app/web, we can mentioned the user by <code>@integer_id (name)</code>, and telegram app/web will convert it into clickable text. <code>integer_id</code> will be generated automatically when we select the user, after typing <code>@</code>.</p>
  
  <p>another background:
  I am trying to use <a href="https://core.telegram.org/bots/api#forcereply" rel="noreferrer"><code>forceReply</code></a> and I want to target user, if they have username, I can easily target them, by mentioning them on the text on <code>sendMessage</code> method.</p>
  
  <p>the bot I am creating is a "quiz" like bot. where each player need to take turn, and the bot is sending them the question, each msg from bot will target different player.</p>
  
  <p>NOTE: I am not disabling the <code>Privacy Mode</code>, I don't want telegram bombing my server with msg I don't need. it was overloading my cheap nasty server. so, disabling it not an option.</p>
  
  <p>I am open for other solution, where the bot can listen to selected player.</p>
  
  <p>thanks.</p>
  
  <p>UPDATE 21/10:
  I've spoke to BotSupport for telegram, they said, for now Bots can't mention user without username.</p>
  
  <p>so in my case, I still keep using <code>forceReply</code>, and also, gave a short msg to user which doesn't have username to set it up, so they can get the benefit from <code>forceReply</code> function.</p>