I used the current version of AdwCleaner today without issue. I run 3 layers of PAID active Anti-Virus protection: Emsisoft Anti-Virus, Malwarebytes Pro, and Hitman Pro.
In response to the false positive claim of AdwCleaner being a threat, I did a scan on the AdwCleaner.exe with all three AV programs. AdwCleaner came back CLEAN. Also, I have used it for years...and AdwCleaner catches the nasty stuff that all others miss.
AdwCleaner is one of the very best malware removers. It is a favorite tool of the AV experts at the Malwarebytes forum, recommended for the rare times when Malwarebytes fails.