You may not think you need to take the same extra precautions to protect yourself online while gaming as you do when filing your taxes or entering your credit card information, but taking simple safety measures, such as adding the best VPN to your gaming setup, can reap many rewards ...

Depending on the game you choose, a surprising amount of personal information may be mined from your account. Names, addresses, emails, and even credit card numbers can be compromised if a malicious party gains access to your account information. If you ever play games on public Wi-Fi, such as in hotels or airports, it is especially easy for hackers to spy on your activities and steal your information.

Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to secure your online gaming. This article discusses some tips for protecting yourself while gaming, along with the benefits of using a gaming VPN.

Gaming buddies who try to access your personal information may not even need to hack your account.

You may think that using your real name on your account while gaming or chatting with fellow players about where in the world you live is no big deal. However, malicious vendors can use this information to find you on other websites, harass you, or worse, impersonate you and steal your identity.

Make sure your account name does not contain any personally identifying information, such as your first or last name, place of residence, or year of birth. Always be vigilant when chatting with strangers online.

Even though in theory you know you should, in practice it is much easier to use the same password you use for everything.

You already know all the reasons why you need unique, hard-to-guess passwords for your accounts.

If remembering hundreds of different passwords for each account feels like a burden, consider using a password manager that securely stores individual logins.

An easy way to protect your identity and stay secure while gaming online is to use a virtual private network, or VPN.

A VPN will reroute your Internet connection through a secure server, hiding your identity and preventing Internet service providers and hackers from viewing your online activity.

This is especially important when playing games over public Wi-Fi. If you have ever pulled out your phone to play a mobile game while waiting for your latte at your favorite coffee shop, you may have inadvertently revealed personal information.

Many public Wi-Fi networks are unencrypted, making it easy for hackers to spy on your activity while you are connected. However, a VPN will encrypt your connection and keep you safe. Top VPNs have apps for all devices, so you can stay secure whether you are using a cell phone, tablet, or laptop.

And finally, note that free VPN services may not provide the speed or protection needed to play games uninterrupted while remaining secure.

In addition to being careful about what you share and using strong passwords, connecting with a VPN is the best way to stay safe online.

There are other advantages to using a VPN. If your Internet connection speed has been fluctuating lately, you may have fallen victim to bandwidth throttling at the hands of your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

When ISPs notice that certain activities, such as heavy gaming or streaming, are originating from your IP address, they may respond by intentionally slowing down your connection. However, using a high-speed VPN is an easy way to beat bandwidth throttling by keeping your Internet activity hidden from ISPs.

You can also use a VPN to bypass geo-blocking and access games that are not available in your region, or to access region-specific content in games you can play. using a VPN, you reroute your location through servers in a specific country, choose to view the Internet (and online games) as if you were in that region.