An explanation on VPNs: A VPN does not anonymize you.
All a VPN does (in simple terms), is route your traffic over their server before routing to its destination, and vice versa. So if you use a VPN, The VPN provider mostly is easily able to uncover your real identity in case he needs to (that is, if he keeps logs, which some providers claim to not do, but we all know the PROBABLY do anyway...)
A better way of using a VPN would be not linking it to your real identity by any means, such as paying in a mixed cryptocurrency, giving a fake name, E-Mail etc.