Minute Cryptic

Our definition here is 'hoax', and our answer will be another word for that.

This clue's indicators are 'starts to', 'about', and 'crop'. One of these is a deletion indicator - we'll need to remove some fodder from other fodder. Another is a selection indicator guiding us to focus on one or more specific letters in some neighbouring fodder. And a third is a containing indicator - we'll need to put some fodder around other fodder.

This clue's fodder is 'A follower', 'lose faith', 'UFO', and 'circle'. We need to find one-letter substitutes for two of these and use them with the letters of the others to construct our answer, as guided by the clue's indicator(s).