If I put an incorrect key in my developer key settings I get:
{"errors":{"jwt":[{"attribute":"jwt","type":"JWT verification failure","message":"JWT verification failure"}]}}
when I try to return a content item.
The only way it breaks in the same way for me is if I'm not sending the JWT back correctly (form parameter issue), but it looks like it's all correct from the snippet you sent. I send content items back like this (React):
<form action={returnUrl} method='POST'>
<input type='hidden' name='JWT' value={this.state.jwt} />
<input type='submit' value='Go' />
</form>
I am not auto-submitting at the moment as I was debugging some things.
My return URL is very similar (just different deployment and course).