A method for operating a wireless communication device in association with a first base station comprises: determining further suitable base stations. In case at least one suitable second base station characteristically different from the first base station is found, checking if a cell identifier of the second base station is listed in a neighbor cell list received from the first base station, and checking signaling power of the second base station. The second base station is rated as a fake base station if measured signaling power is significantly higher than the signaling power of the first base station, and the cell identifier of the second base station is not listed in the neighbor cell list. If the rating of the second base station as a fake base station is above a predetermined threshold: deleting second base station from a list of suitable base stations.